End the contract per the Standard Employment Contract and Employment Ordinance (notice or payment in lieu, settling wages and leave), then file the ESLS-13 termination notice with the Labour Department and Immigration Department within 7 days, followed by the replacement request. A replacement’s contract can only use the months remaining in the original quota. Labour Services Company Ltd. (licence 81090) runs the replacement process; not legal advice.
Last verified against Labour Department / Immigration Department publications: 2026-09-14.
Two filings within seven days
Submit the ESLS-13 termination notice to both departments within 7 days of termination — late or missed filing is a breach that affects future applications. Then follow LD instructions to file the replacement request before recruiting a successor under the same quota.
The remaining-months rule
A replacement’s contract cap is the quota’s remaining months: with a 24-month quota and the first worker leaving after 2 months, the successor can work at most the remaining 22 months — never beyond the original term.
Settlement essentials
Give proper notice or payment in lieu, settle all wages, annual leave and leave pay, and keep records. If the worker absconds, the termination is still declared through the same process.
What if we miss the ESLS-13 filing?
It breaches scheme rules and can trigger administrative sanctions — up to two years without applications being processed. The 7-day window is strict.
Can the replacement start immediately?
Only after the replacement procedures and the new visa are complete; quotas do not transfer automatically, and no one may work as an imported worker before approval.
Several workers leave at once — what then?
File ESLS-13 for each person and process replacements individually; review ratios and recruitment plans with your consultant at the same time.