Job Discussion Forums

[kristya]

1.Can someone explain to me why there is such a delay when short-listed from a video conference interview to the schools actually contacting you. I had my interview in last week of February. I have emailed the recruitment company and they said that it is just the way it is. Any ideas or should I be contacting the EMB myself?


2.Also, I understand the lottery significance of the PNET system. I guess it seems to do some extensive questioning of the school when they ring. Any other ideas here?

Just a question about money to take to Hong Kong. How much HK$ should I take. Is there a minimum allowed to actually be let in the country if and when you get your working visa.

Many thanks...all comments are welcome

[Zero Hero]

As regards your first point, I would, without wishing to sound too sarcastic or facetious, suggest you ask the EMB, after all, they are the ones who deal with such matters. If I had to guess, I would say this "delay" (as you describe it) may have something to do with the fact that there were many applications - perhaps in the thousands - and that they are not in so much as a hurry as yourself.

There is a set minimum amount of funds that visitors must have, though I do not know off hand what that amount is, and have never heard of it being applied to anyone other than Nigerians. I would suggest taking a look at the immigration website, it is in English and is very comprehensive and user friendly. You cannot get a work visa for the SAR of HK outside of the territory. All applications for sponsorship must be made at the 'Twin Towers', Wan Chai, HK Island in person (or via a sanctioned representative).

[Bridie]

Just wondering if you are from Australia - your situation sounds similiar to mine. I too had my interview in the last week of Feb - was told the process could take up to a month. It's been since a month (5 weeks to be exact) and am still waiting for a school to contact me.

I also have contacted the recruitment agency here - was told to be patient as the process could take a while.

[kristya]

I am Australian and yes I got the same message from EdStaff as you. I have also contacted the EMB and they have requested that I send more documentation. Very bizarre because I have already sent these. Still no reply from a school. I am concerned that I will not give my sschool enough notice if and when they decide to contact me. What is your situation here B?

[abroad2005]

I know how frustrating it is to wait for a school to contact you. They might not till even June/July. It doesn't mean that there isn't a school for you. The EMB gives your name and profile to the school's english panel head. Then they take there la-di-da time with it as they are so busy. Plus they have to figure out the time difference unless you're in Oz. I got my first phone call from a school in March and then no contract appeared till June. Other PNETs didn't know for sure till August, 2 weeks before we had to be here. Just hold on! Its easy to say, its just your whole life, but it will happen on their time, unfortunately not yours.

[Smoog]

Edstaff are frigging hopeless.
I applied for both PNET and SNET last year (beginning of May) in NZ (Edstaff handle both Oz and NZ). Edstaff told me I had an interview for PNET at 5pm in Auckland. They forgot to tell me about the 3pm interview for SNET.
So I turned up 90 minutes late for the SNET interview. Suffice to say I wasn't offered a SNET position.
I bought along all my degrees, diplomas, transcripts etc (so they could take copies), only to be told they weren't necessary. 2 days later I received an email saying I'd been selected for PNET and would have to send over copies of all my quals!
Edstaff supplied a form for me to sign so they could request a police check on me. However, 3 weeks later (end of May) they informed me they couldn't do this, and only I could request said letter. This took nearly a month to receive from the police.
Edstaff then lost some of my copies, so I had to resend them.

Meanwhile, EMB won't do anything with your application until they receive all the paperwork from Edstaff.

Throughout all this, Edstaff kept telling me not to worry and that I was assured of a job. My principal in NZ told me I would have to give 6 weeks notice before I left, so I resigned at the beginning of June. I repeatedly email Edstaff and asked them whether this was a good idea and they kept telling me my application was being processed and I would be offered a job soon.
2 weeks before I was due to leave my job and 3 weeks before heading over to HK, Edstaff emailed me, telling me the EMB had finally finished processing my application and would only now start looking for a school, adding that because it had taken so long they couldn't guarantee a job for me!

As I said, frigging hopeless.

EMB do take a while to process everything though. I'd recommend contacting the EMB directly and find out through them what is going on. I had the feeling when I was going through all that crap last year, that Edstaff never admitted to the EMB that it was their fault, not mine, for the delay.

To end on a more positive note:
When I got over here, I found a job in a private learning centre (which sucked), but a couple weeks later was offered a PNETs position (so mid-August), which regretfully I had to turn down, as I had already signed a contract. So there are still positions available right up to the start (and beyond) the new school year.
That was last year.
I'm now working as a PNET (as off April 6), and thoroughly enjoying it. I don't know why people keep complaining about the job/hours/pay etc. I'm only expected to teach 12 hours a week, and I'm getting almost 3 times most in HK get (and more than what I was getting in the private centre). It also helps that one school I'm at is on Lamma (120 students total, so cruisy!).
So I have nothing to complain about so far.

[hkgirlo]

Seems to me that this is the most common story. Everything is done last minute. I was in Hong Kong working at another school, and had to resign way before I knew if I had a job as a PNET. But, keep in mind... they need so many teachers right now. You will get a job. Even if you are not qualified, you will still get a job. So, don't get discouraged. And don't feel pressured into accepting the first offer. I had 3 interviews with schools and found a good one that I liked- very open-minded progressive schools. Anyways, don't worry- they take a long time but ususally come through.

[foster]

Everything will be last minute. When I moved here in 2003, I did not find out til mid-JUNE that I had a job.

Call the EMB, ask them whats up, bug Phoebe Mok.

Good luck.