Job Discussion Forums

Dude Love Japan · Joined: 29 Nov 2006 Posts: 111

I live in Korea, went to HK for a primary NET interview (also applied for secondary but wasn't granted an interview) last Feb. 2010, was "provisionally hired" but not hired in the end, wish I knew why. I have a B.A. in English, Cambridge CELTA, 33 year-old Canadian male with varied exp. in Korea. Any thoughts? Meanwhile, the EDB website says teachers with an HK PGDE and a year of post-PGDE teaching exp. in HK can make $8,000 USD/month, which sounds too good to be true. Do teachers regularly make that much? I'm concerned that if I went to the trouble of becoming certified (I'm considering it to make myself more competitive) I'd actually cause myself to be passed over for someone they could pay less. Thanks for your thoughts.

Serious_Fun · Joined: 28 Jun 2005 Posts: 1171 Location: terra incognita

Dude Love Japan · Joined: 29 Nov 2006 Posts: 111

Thanks very much for the reply and link. But does the link below not say that with my qualifications plus a PGDE and one year of post-PGDE exp. that I'd make a total of $8,000 USD/month? Actually, someone in the know told me if I got my PGDE in HK I'd be considered local and wouldn't get the bonus, still comes out to about $6,000. That's sweet coin even in expensive HK, enough to support a family, no? I want to live somewhere quiet and calm, like the New Territories. Thanks so much for your input and please keep in touch.

Perilla · Joined: 09 Jul 2010 Posts: 792 Location: Hong Kong

My understanding is that the absolute least a NET makes (including the monthly bonus allowance) is about HK$30,000, which is pretty close to US4,000. With QTS and experience you'd be on more, though I dunno how much more ...

Dude Love Japan · Joined: 29 Nov 2006 Posts: 111

thanks for your input. Meanwhile, I have a wife and daughter who'll be 2 when the school year starts in fall 2011. Will the minimum salary be enough? I have every intention of getting the PGDE also.

Perilla · Joined: 09 Jul 2010 Posts: 792 Location: Hong Kong

I would say yes, 30K is enough to support the three of you in reasonable comfort - so long as you don't have any big overheads or crack open a bottle of bubbly or two every evening. The local median salary is around 15K per month, so even allowing for the standard mark-up in the expat cost of living you should be OK. Me and the missus spend about 30K a month on ourselves (and our dog), though that doesn't count holiday costs or savings allocations, but we aren't very careful with our money and we do like indulgences.

Dude Love Japan · Joined: 29 Nov 2006 Posts: 111

I appreciate all replies. I hope someone can tell me the max a foreign SNET can make with the PGDE. The EDB website says 8k (6k w/o the bonus) but people seem to dispute T's will ever make that much.

Serious_Fun · Joined: 28 Jun 2005 Posts: 1171 Location: terra incognita

RiverMystic · Joined: 13 Jan 2009 Posts: 1986

Yep, you'd be starting at the bottom of the scale. But for a secondary NET, I believe that this is about 33 000, or about 4.25 US grand a month (worth about 5 cents by the time you get here Laughing

). Your total salary would increase about 1200 HK a month for every year you stay, but you would also get a retention incentive if you sign up again after two years (5% of base salary -about 1100 a month, averaging it out), and after four years another 5% of you re-sign). So, if you stick it out for 4 years, on your fifth year it should be 33000 + 4400 (4 pts up scale) + 3000 (retention incentive). That's about 40800 HK buckeroos, or 5.5 grand of Benjamins a month (at current value). Considering that by that time downtown Los Angeles will probably look like a scene from Mad Max Twisted Evil

, you could do a lot worse than be in HK.

And as far as I'm aware, you will not be considered a local if you do your PGDE here. Even NETS who have been here ten years and are HK permanent residents get the living allowance.

Come here, do the PGDE, then get the list of hiring schools from the local NET teachers association (NESTA). Then send your CV to the schools directly, or even rock up at the principal's office yourself. No guarantee it will work, but I reckon you'd have a good shot.

Cheers,

RM

Perilla · Joined: 09 Jul 2010 Posts: 792 Location: Hong Kong

Not sure if either of the above posters have factored in the monthly allowance - this is worth another HK13,000 (I think) a month.

Dude Love Japan · Joined: 29 Nov 2006 Posts: 111

serious_fun, please see http://www.edb.gov.hk/index.aspx?nodeid=1301&langno=1
-the top end of the salary range mentioned at the top plus the allowance mentioned in the TERMS OF APPOINTMENT AND SALARY amounts to roughly $8,000 USD/month. I want to know how to reach that. I'm tempted to take the PGDE full-time but it would be extremely expensive and there's no guarantee I'll find work after. Either do it ft in 2011 or wait until I get hired (hopefully finally this year) and then do it pt. a tough choice!

Dude Love Japan · Joined: 29 Nov 2006 Posts: 111

BTW< I thought I'd make $3,600 USD/month to start with my B.A. in English and CELTA.

Joshua2006 · Joined: 04 Jan 2010 Posts: 342

Perilla · Joined: 09 Jul 2010 Posts: 792 Location: Hong Kong

Joshua2006 · Joined: 04 Jan 2010 Posts: 342