Job Discussion Forums

[James Bay]

My situation...

This has been on-going for month after month after month...Email after email after email!!! I am so fed up!

Six weeks ago I thought it was all going to end... I had been assigned to a school, signed the EMB contract and was told the school would send me a formal 'contract' to sign.I was waiting and waiting for the "formal" contract to arrive... Nothing[I am still waiting for it to arrive.]

With only a few days before the -Xmas break,I contact the school. They tell me that the Supervisor has to sign the contract!!! Why does it take 6 weeks for the supervisor to sign the contract.?The SET tells me details have to be worked out. I ask what details?I receive no reply!

I press for some action as school is closing for -Xmas! The SET tells me to send the Visa application forms anyway - 5 days before the -Xmas break.

So, I'm told that my Visa application forms were sent to immigration...However, the Supervisor has still not yet signed the contarct. I am told that the principal has signed on behalf of the Supervisor, as it is an URGENT matter,but the principasl can't sign the contract on behalf of the Supervisor for me!

I contact the principal via fax asking that before I come to HK please get the Supervisor to sign the contract,assure me of the January 3rd. start date, give me the status of the work Visa application[was it really delivered to immigration?],confirm that ssomebody has been assigned to meet me at the airport[As the SET has written "I think" I will meet you at the airport] and arrange for a speedy salary advance[2 months -Article 6:8] for me..

The principal writes back yesterday saying he is sorry about everything... not to worry....somebody will meet you at the airport, and, PROVIDED that my work Visa can be obtained prior to my departure, I would be paid from January 3.

In the meantime, I have acquired an airline ticket, as the EMB contract said a Jnuary 3 start, and as you know it is very hard to get a reservation for this time of the year at the last moment... There is a heavy money penalty if I don't travel on the ticket date.

All that being said,where does a NET go from the airport???... I don't want the YMCA, and I don't want to spend $150. US daily for some hotel at my expense.

How disorganized this whole affair is[EMB] [School]. What a mess!!!

When I was with the KORETTA Program in Korea[now called EPIC]...upon arrival we all went to the Korea Nationl University for an orientation,and from there we went to the individual schools. If the apartment wasn't ready temporary Homestay was arranged till the apartment was quickly arranged for.

When I went with the Ministry of Education to the UAE, I was met at the airport,put in a hotel and the next moring picked up and brought to my flat.

I am a certified teacher [times over] Full time education program at McGill and even a certified teacher before McGill.. I have a teaching permit from Quebec as well as from two other provinces in Canada.

With this bunch[EMB], I have been told that I don't even have a teaching certificate equal to a HK initial certificate plus I have 12 years teaching experience in the government public school system. What can I say...

Appeal their decesion... I did... waste of good time... a lot of time... more frustration...

Will things get any better... [Can they get any worse?] Stupid question!!!

Am I setting myself up for a TOTAL nightmare... The whole EMB process has been pretty bad to date?

So, to go or not to go ... That is the question???

[anninhk]

I'm so sorry that you have been messed about so much and I'd like to say that it is unusual but it is pretty much par for the course!
You can enter Hong Kong and stay for 3 months, I think, without a work visa but of course you can't work! But at least you can organise things and get it done quickly if all the paper work has been completed.
I don't understand your comment about getting accommodation - you have to get your own accommodation and pay for it. The school will not do it for you! Travel from the airport to a hotel is really easy and will cost you about $120 which is worth it as you will travel door-to-door.
Only you can decide if the move is going to be worth it - we do get $12950 housing allowance now which will improve your basic salary.
Good luck whatever you decide.

[James Bay]

My point about "where to go from the airport " is simply that the NET should not have to pay the initial cost of accomodation in expensive Hong Kong.There should be some "set-up" where NETS can stay free of charge for a week or so while they look for a more permanent place to live. - or the EMB should look after the initial costs of a hotel and offer support to the NET in looking for accomodation.

In my case,[and probably the case of many]I have to re-locate to HK[a totally new environment],go immediately to work,while still living out of my suitcase. Then,after school I have to tackle the task of finding a permanent place to live,get up the next day for work and probably repeat the same process the next day,till I find a permanent place to live.

All I am saying is that I would better be able to do my job,if at least, I had the "basics" covered from the onset i.e. A more permanent place to live... as opposed to the YMCA etc. etc. [expensive] hotel "crashing."

It is not uncommon for the employer to look after initial moving travel costs i.e. Associated costs of getting to and from the airport, any hotel enroute[lay over] [hotel cost while having to wait overnight for a connecting flight], associated enroute meal costs, etc. etc.

The whole accomodation thing needs to be reviewed. It seems that what you got now is the EMB throwing throwing you "into the hot water" on your arrival in HK.washing their hands clear of you,leaving you to lay out 2-3 months rent of your own money immediately, while you try and cut through the red tape of making application for a salary advance,ticket refund money[which may take God knows how long] etc. etc.

I recall on going to the UAE to teach... the employer [Ministry of Education] had the airline ticket sent to my door by courier.I didn't have to put out any of my own money. They had a travel agency look after all the travel arrangements.

I think the whole "initial' landing in Hong Kong accomodation thing[and initial associated costs] sucks!

Sure, I got to make up my own mind about if I want to go or not. Obviously, I know that!

I am just writing to simply share my experience. I have no vengence against the EMB. I just hope by sharing my experience that the EMB process can be improved.

[munasa]

Hi James, You certainly have had a tough time, but in a way your expectations of the type of treatment/arrangements that you believe should be happening has led to some of your disappointment. It is better to accept that this is the way the EMB does things and either go with the flow, or perhaps back out.
My situation ...
I've worked overseas in several countries and had all the experiences you've had -- tickets delivered to my door, met at airport, accommodation all arranged, even food in the fridge on arrival.
The appeal of working here is that I get to do all those things myself -- it's an adventure! I knew (and you know) that the EMB doesn't provide accommodation or hold your hand through the process. IF you are not happy with this, then perhaps it isn't the right place for you. It has its advantages -- we have so much more choice about where/how to live than we have in the types of situations you and I have worked in before.
The bigger frustration comes in getting your qualifications recognised and we all have to jump through those hoops. It is harder for those of us who studied a long time ago before the days of transcripts and lots of certificates. But it can be overcome -- it's just a lot of paperwork. One of my NET friends spent 6 months getting it all sorted out, another, 3 months. And there are lots of others in the same boat.
If you are going to a government school, teacher registration is not required, so it's a bit easier once the EMB has accepted you.
Hong Kong is a great place to live and work, but it's not for everyone. We come here knowing we'll be pretty much on our own in sorting out our accommodation, insurance, tickets, etc. Most of us stayed in serviced apartments or hotels for at least a month. You don't have to spend every afternoon looking for accommodation. Settle down in one place, focus on your work and finding your way around. Then, when you have a feel for the place, decide where you want to live. I would advise you NOT to even look in the first couple of weeks. At least in January you won't have the heat and humidity to deal with as you settle in! There are some excellent real estate agents who understand what we are looking for. I recommend KoKo +852 9198 4318 who speaks English and works tirelessly. In one afternoon, she showed me half a dozen suitable apartments and I chose one of them -- my total time spent househunting: about 3 hours. And she helped with electricity, gas and phone connections.
I'm on my second contract and my work situation is not perfect, but most places have their down side. But I have enjoyed the whole experience here -- especially the independence. HK is great for me and my family, but as I said earlier, it's not for everyone. I know lots of happy NETs in HK, in spite of the difficulties we face in and out of the workplace.
Of all the overseas countries I've lived in (5 so far), this has been the easiest place to find my feet in. English is spoken in lots of places, the Internet is great resource. I found my first serviced apartment on line and paid for it before I came. Getting around by public transport is so easy... and the list goes on. This is not a hardship posting!

[LV]

I agree the whole EMB recruitment thing needs to be streamlined and overhauled. Take heart though, I have been involved with my saga of the paper war since July. I still don't have a visa and I will be astounded if I have one by the time I leave. I have booked a ticket for the 8th because I am supposed to start teaching on the 16th and feel I will need a week to orient myself and find accomodation. I had to buy a return ticket because I did not have a visa. I am going to stay in a hotel then find a flat. Did the EMB send you a list of good hotel deals? Look on the web too there are plenty of sites that have flats and units advertised and share accomodation too. I am going to take a leap of faith and go with or without a visa. My friend got her visa after she arrived but had to do a day trip Macau to activate it. Keep all your receipts and stuff just in case so you can claim a tax deduction if it all goes south. Decisions like this are always difficult, when in doubt I toss a coin, heads I go tails I stay. Hope you make the right choice for you.

[davevarga]

The EMB sounds like an absolute nightmare but it's unfortunate that you didn't read this forum before you started the process of applying for a job there. You could have saved yourself a lot of anxiety by either accepting the fact that it will be a very difficult process or just to not bother at all.
You should always try to do some research when applying for work in any country and these forums offer some very good advice as they are from people who live there.
I'm still trying to decide whether just to take the plunge and hope for the best by arriving on the 3 month visa. I've been to HK in July so at least I have a feel for the country and know how to get around. I realise this could cost a bit of money but making sure you find the right job is important to me. I'd sooner meet employers face to face rather than phone and email conversations.
You may look back at the whole situation one day and say to yourself Im glad I decided to stick it out.