Job Discussion Forums

[once again]

My impression is that teaching vacancies are quite scarce at the moment in HK. My other impression is that things have become very very price sensitive. Do you think there is an oversupply of teachers/lack of demand here at the moment? Any comments on this anyone?

[growler]

Definately over-demand of teachers, qualified and unqualified. The expected salary of job applicants are getting lower and lower. I was rather surprised myself when interviewing them.

[ChrisRose]

Growler, which organisation were you interviewing for?

Tell, tell, tell.....

[Freddie_Unbelievable]

Growler forgot to mention that he is doing work in the service industry
ie: McDonalds. So, how is the interviewing going!

[Roger]

Didn't he mean to say "teacher over-supply"?

[once again]

Thats what I figured also Roger!!

[bliksem]

I think you'll find a big demand for P/T teachers - I have had 4 people call me asking for anyone I know of who can help out here and there.

I have no idea of what the current situation is like in the F/T -positions - but I see Wall Street and the like advertising as usual...

I suspect the dependency visa law change is starting to slowly but surely make an impact - although some might disagree with me.

All the people who have contacted me are looking for "legal" teachers - a scarce commodity for afternoon sessions!

The thing is it can go both ways - rates will rise [I've had people offer $400 per hour- yes only 75 minutes per week- but still not bad] OR if there aren't any people to teach legally the "others" will start coming out of the woodwork soon...

I don't know - what do you guys think ? I've been for 6 interviews in the last 2 weeks for P/T and employers are pretty adamant on the legal side - moreso than a few months back - lucky for me I guess [dependency visa RULES - sorry to rub it in!]

[combchick]

I've recently arrived in HK as a newbie NET. Still finding my way around. I came with my husband. Now we find that he can't get a job because of his visa status.
He's a qualified teacher with ESL certificate and experience.
What's the best thing to do?
It seems no one will "sponsor" him, and the part time jobs say they want people who already have a work visa. Yes he has a HK ID card.
Any suggestions?

[bliksem]

Hi there combchick! If your husband is a fully qualified teacher he shouldn't have a problem getting a sponsor - the downside is that he will have to work for less than he should be earning [some kindergartens perhaps?]

A lot of centres are willing to sponsor - if you have the qual's and experience - but they see it as "doing you a favour" so the salary isn't up to scratch.

This is a suggestion and I don't know if it is practically doable but... why not go down to "the Twin Towers "and ask the guys there to give you all the forms you will need and for a list of requirements

- I'm sure if your husband walks into a place and lays it all on the table for the HR people they will see that it he would get the visa - that's most of the employers biggest problem - they are tired of sending away applications that are being turned down - and most of them are!

Or [and again I am talking about things I don't have exact knowledge of] try to get a business visa and employ yourself - apparantly it's not that difficult - but here some of the older hands in HK would be able to help you more.

One thing I do know of is this: If he is willing to sign a contract that states he doesn't require a salary or minimum hours - someone might be willing to pick him up and "share" him with other centres - i.e. they pay him per hour and give permission for him to work at other places - so he would be responsible to fill up his hours - I'm guessing this will take some legwork on his part to find centres willing to co-operate but I think it is a good way to go...

Maybe someone out there has the same deal and could give you better info than my second-guessing?

good luck

[combchick]

Hey Bliksom
Thanks for taking the trouble to reply and thanks for the advice.
I'm such a "newbie" that I don't know what the "Twin Towers" are except 911.
Yes he's fully qualified BEd with TESOL cert. I'm not too sure about kindergarten aged kids though. Seems this is where the work is but I was told they're not that keen on males.

It would be interesting to find out if anyone out there has knowledge of these "business visas" and what that involves.

I've been told that part time won't sponsor you because the HK government reckons you won't earn enough money just working part time - yet they are willing to have my husband unemployed on a "dependent" visa. It makes no sense. Surely working part time is better than not working at all.
thanks again. CC

[bliksem]

Hey there again CC!

the "Twin Towers" is my personal nickname for Immigration and Revenue Tower you find in Wanchai -

We had to go through the whole 8 floor escalator ride as the 2nd Tolkien movie came out - hence the name.

After the first few times [does anyone ever do it in less than 3 visits?] I almost expected Christopher Lee [Saruman] to be standing there holding our visas

Anyway - on your other queries I'm sure that there is someone who can help - have you tried posting on www.asiaxpat on the free legal forum?

I'm sure something will come up!

Good luck

[Oki]

Bliksem, you must be dutch, right?

Heb je wel eens in China gewerkt en weet jij hoe de markt daar ligt voor non-native speakers?

Oki

[wanderlust1066]

[bliksem]

Oki - geen idee hoe om in Hollands te skryf nie maar kom ons kyk of jy my Afrikaans kan lees

Ek het geen idee oor China nie - in Hong Kong moet jy jou storie ken anders is dit neusie verby [lanklaas daai woorde gebruik...]

Ek weet as jy 'n graad het en jou Engels is halfpad OK sal jy 'n job erens in Asie kan loslaan - moontlik China - maar iemand anders sal jou moet help - alles hang af van hoe gemotiveerd jy is en of jy goed is as 'n onderwyser.

Groete

Bliksem