The Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) is Hong Kong's second-pillar retirement scheme. Employees aged 18 to under 65 who are employed for 60 days or more generally must join. Self-employed people in that age range generally must enrol within 60 days of becoming self-employed, even if income is below the minimum relevant-income level.
Who Needs to Contribute?
Employees and self-employed persons aged 18 to under 65 generally must join an MPF scheme. Casual workers in specific industries such as construction and catering must contribute under industry schemes.
Current Contribution Rates
Employees and employers generally each contribute 5% of relevant income. Relevant income normally includes salary, leave pay, commissions, bonuses, gratuities and allowances—not merely base salary.
Income Limits
Below HK$7,100 a month, the employee makes no mandatory contribution, while the employer still contributes 5%. From HK$7,100 to HK$30,000, each contributes 5%. Above HK$30,000, each side is capped at HK$1,500. Non-monthly payroll uses daily limits based on the number of days in the wage period.
| Monthly relevant income | Employee mandatory contribution | Employer mandatory contribution |
|---|---|---|
| Below HK$7,100 | HK$0 | 5% of relevant income |
| HK$7,100 to HK$30,000 | 5% | 5% |
| Above HK$30,000 | Maximum HK$1,500 | Maximum HK$1,500 |
These are mandatory-contribution planning bands, not a forecast of investment growth. The amount that eventually appears in an MPF account also depends on fund prices, fees, contribution gaps and the date the trustee posts the payment.
Tax Deductible Voluntary Contributions (TVC)
TVC is a designated account, not another name for ordinary voluntary MPF. It shares a HK$60,000 annual deduction ceiling with qualifying deferred annuity premiums. That is a deduction from income, not a HK$60,000 refund. If both TVC and QDAP are paid in the same year and exceed the cap, Inland Revenue allows TVC first.
Self-employed MPF cap and the HK$7,500 mix-up
A self-employed person generally still has to join an MPF scheme within 60 days of becoming self-employed, even if income is below the minimum. Mandatory contributions are a separate question.
Current self-employed bands are:
- Below HK$7,100 a month, or HK$85,200 a year: no mandatory contribution.
- HK$7,100 to HK$30,000 a month, or HK$85,200 to HK$360,000 a year: 5% of relevant income.
- Above HK$30,000 a month, or HK$360,000 a year: capped at HK$1,500 a month or HK$18,000 a year.
HK$7,500 is not the current MPFA minimum relevant income. Do not use it to estimate mandatory contributions.
Relevant income may be taken from the latest IRD notice of assessment, the basic allowance, an income declaration to the eMPF Platform, or the annual maximum. A net business loss can be declared so mandatory contributions pause until income meets the minimum again.
How to Estimate Retirement Accumulation?
Check the current period with the MPF Contribution Calculator, then model long-term outcomes with the MPF Retirement Projection Calculator. If you are comparing early retirement or access at 60/65, use the MPF Withdrawal Planner separately. Returns are not guaranteed; fees, volatility and contribution gaps matter.
Official sources
- MPFA: Mandatory contributions for employees
- MPFA: Mandatory contributions for self-employed persons
- MPFA: Year-end bonus and MPF
Last checked 28 August 2026. Relevant-income bands and self-employed reporting remain subject to the MPFA and eMPF Platform.