FAQs on the Registration of MPF Intermediaries

1.	Who is required to be registered as an MPF intermediary?
	Answer:	A person who is engaged in: selling MPF schemes; or advising clients on constituent funds, or underlying approved pooled investment funds, of MPF schemes
2.	How do I register as an MPF intermediary?
	Answer:	For a corporation: (a) You must complete an application form [Form I(C)]. (b) The application must be accompanied by an application from a responsible officer (see question 4 for definition of "responsible officer"). (c) Following processing of the application, and subject to any unforeseeable circumstances, an MPF certificate will be issued. For an officer/agent/employee: (a) You must complete an application form [Form I(I)]. (b) The application must be accompanied by a sponsoring form [Form I(S)]. (c) The application should be submitted through your primary sponsoring corporation. (d) Following processing of the application and subject to any unforeseeable circumstances, an MPF certificate will be issued.
3.	What are the registration requirements for an MPF individual intermediary?
	Answer:	To apply for registration as an MPF individual intermediary, you must be in a position as an officer/agent/employee, and you must fulfill the following requirements: (a) pass an MPF intermediaries examination recognized by the MPFA; and (b) fall under one of the following categories: an officer/employee of an authorized long term insurer; an appointed long term insurance agent; a registered Responsible Officer/Technical Representative of an appointed long term insurance agent; a registered Chief Executive/Technical Representative of an authorized long term insurance broker; an officer/employee of an authorized institution; a licensed representative licensed to carry on Type 1 (dealing in securities) and/or Type 4 (advising on securities) regulated activities as defined in Part 2 of Schedule 5 to the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap 571). (c) be considered fit and proper (see Note below) to be registered as an MPF intermediary. Note: Generally speaking, the MPFA is not likely to be satisfied that an applicant is a fit and proper person, if the person (whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere):   (a) has been found by a court to have acted fraudulently or dishonestly, has been convicted of a criminal offence, or is the subject of unresolved criminal charges which are of direct relevance to fitness and properness; (b) is an undischarged bankrupt, is currently subject to bankruptcy proceedings, or is a bankrupt who has recently been discharged; (c) has been denied membership/registration of any professional/regulatory body due to reasons other than insufficient qualification/experience, or disqualified/censured/disciplined by any professional/regulatory body due to serious misconduct; (d) has failed to comply with the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirement during his period of registration as an MPF intermediary.
4.	What are the requirements for a "responsible officer"?
	Answer:	A "responsible officer" is a person designated by an MPF corporate intermediary to be responsible for the supervision of the selling/advising activities of MPF schemes. A responsible officer must apply for registration as an MPF intermediary.
5.	How do I enrol in the MPF intermediaries examination?
	Answer:	The Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Examination (under the Insurance Intermediaries Quality Assurance Scheme conducted by the Vocational Training Council) and the MPF Intermediaries Examination (conducted by the Hong Kong Securities Institute) are based on the same syllabus and are recognized by the MPFA as meeting the examination requirement to be an MPF intermediary. For enrolment and examination schedules, you may contact: (a) The Vocational Training Council (Tel: 2919 1467 / 2919 1468 / 2919 1478) or (b) The Hong Kong Securities Institute (Tel: 3120 6220)
6.	Do I need to re-take the MPF intermediaries examination before I re-register as an MPF intermediary?
	Answer:	Currently, you do not need to re-take the MPF intermediaries examination if you wish to re-register as an MPF intermediary.
7.	What needs to be done if there are changes in the information previously provided to the MPFA?
	Answer:	MPF corporate intermediaries are required to notify the MPFA by completing Form I(CH-C) in respect of the following events: (a) Change of corporate information e.g. business address; (b) Cessation of MPF business; (c) An MPF intermediary becoming or ceasing to be a responsible officer; (d) Change of information of individual intermediaries e.g. registration capacity with their relevant regulators or self-regulatory organizations; (e) An MPF intermediary ceasing to be an officer/employee/agent; (f) Loss of MPF card/MPF certificate; (g) Change of any other information previously provided to the MPFA; (h) Any significant events which may affect the fitness and propriety/suitability of the corporation or of its officer/employee/agent to remain as an MPF intermediary.
8.	As an individual intermediary, what should I do if I have lost my MPF card/certificate?
	Answer:	You are required to report the loss of MPF card/certificate to the MPFA via your sponsoring corporation and apply for a replacement MPF certificate.
9.	Is there any way that the public can check whether an intermediary is a registered MPF intermediary?
	Answer:	The MPFA keeps a register of all registered MPF intermediaries.  The public can verify an intermediary’s registration status by: (a) calling the MPFA hotline at 2918 0102; (b) checking the List of Registered MPF Intermediaries; (c) visiting the following MPFA offices: Level 16, International Commerce Centre, 1 Austin Road West, Kowloon, Hong Kong; Level 36, Tower 1, Metroplaza, 223 Hing Fong Road, Kwai Fong, New Territories, Hong Kong; 23/F, Nexxus Building, 41 Connaught Road Central, Central, Hong Kong; or 25/F, Tower 1, Millennium City 1, 388 Kwun Tong Road, Kwun Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong.