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Hk work visa
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kowlooner



Joined: 24 Jun 2004
Posts: 230
Location: HK, BCC (former)
PostPosted: Fri Feb 11, 2011 3:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Quote:
Yeah, terrible deal. Twice that would be a pittance.

Actually, twice that would be pretty good, though not compared to pay in an int'l school or the NET program.

12k is pretty low, though. However, you don't have any teaching experience or credentials. You have a BA and MA, but in what area? If it's a BA in English, then you should be able to do much better. For the working hours, is that supposed to be straight through or with some sort of break in the afternoon? And the holiday allowance is the standard minimum offered by businesses (and even then, not mandatory until after the first year of employment according to local labour standards). Doesn't make it good, but at least some perspective. On the positive side, 5 days a week. At a good number of places, it's 6.

Still, I agree with the others. It doesn't appear ideal, and the visa sponsorship condition seems a bit iffy. Remember, you can't work legally without that visa, even while it's being processed.

Perilla's right with the $17k figure being about average, and it should be achievable with your level of education, assuming the market conditions are reasonably favourable for job-seekers.
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hurrimark



Joined: 16 Aug 2010
Posts: 13
PostPosted: Mon Feb 14, 2011 11:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
The remaining 4 hours non teaching time is apparantly for preparation that must be done on premises.

Paid the first day I start work apparantly (including upon starting training) is this the norm or not likely to be true?

Thanks for all your help so far.

Btw my BA and MA are Business related.
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sistercream



Joined: 18 Dec 2010
Posts: 497
Location: Pearl River Delta
PostPosted: Tue Feb 15, 2011 7:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
hurrimark wrote:
Paid the first day I start work apparantly (including upon starting training) is this the norm or not likely to be true?


Whether it's true or not is up to the *relative* honesty of the school. It isn't legal, but there are language centres that will pay you either in cash or by a cash cheque if you complete your first (or second) month's work before your visa is processed.
And, as previously noted, there are others that will simply let you do your "training" and not bother about applying for your visa at all. They simply let you go after 2 months, no pay, and there's Sweet Fanny Adams you can do about it because you were working illegally.
Also as noted, 12K a month is near enough to nothing in any case.
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hurrimark



Joined: 16 Aug 2010
Posts: 13
PostPosted: Wed Feb 16, 2011 12:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
sistercream wrote:
hurrimark wrote:
Paid the first day I start work apparantly (including upon starting training) is this the norm or not likely to be true?


Whether it's true or not is up to the *relative* honesty of the school. It isn't legal, but there are language centres that will pay you either in cash or by a cash cheque if you complete your first (or second) month's work before your visa is processed.
And, as previously noted, there are others that will simply let you do your "training" and not bother about applying for your visa at all. They simply let you go after 2 months, no pay, and there's Sweet Fanny Adams you can do about it because you were working illegally.
Also as noted, 12K a month is near enough to nothing in any case.


Ok, thanks. Should Language centres that are more respectable want the visa do have gone through for the individual before they actually go out to HK, or do many language centres not operate with this philosophy?

thanks.
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sistercream



Joined: 18 Dec 2010
Posts: 497
Location: Pearl River Delta
PostPosted: Wed Feb 16, 2011 9:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
My own experience is that most language centres like you to be physically present in HK to be interviewed, and it saves the honest places a hassle if you are in town when your working visa arrives.
This is a sticker that you stick in your passport.
Then you can make a quick trip to Macau or Shenzhen (or further afield if you prefer), and when you re-enter Hong Kong the visa is "activated" and you can legally start work and apply for your HK ID card.

I have no idea what proportion of privately run centres operate strictly by the letter of the law.
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Xanthos



Joined: 14 Nov 2005
Posts: 151
Location: Beijing
PostPosted: Wed Feb 23, 2011 6:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I am also very interested to know whether many people recently employed as English Teachers in HK got their work visa before arriving.

I have come across the 'arrive as tourist, get interview, get work visa' route to HK employment many times on this forum - it seems this is pretty common.

sistercream wrote:
I have no idea what proportion of privately run centres operate strictly by the letter of the law.

Indeed; anyone got a better informed perspective on this?

I am planning to arrive as a tourist and then look for work, even though it is not strictly 'legal' to do so - just like arriving in Mainland China on a tourist visa to teach isn't... but then that is very rarely a problem for those who do...
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Perilla



Joined: 09 Jul 2010
Posts: 792
Location: Hong Kong
PostPosted: Wed Feb 23, 2011 7:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Xanthos wrote:
I am planning to arrive as a tourist and then look for work, even though it is not strictly 'legal' to do so - just like arriving in Mainland China on a tourist visa to teach isn't... but then that is very rarely a problem for those who do...


There is nothing dodgy about coming to HK to look for work. The only thing against it is that it's an expensive city, and the search for work followed by the wait for a visa is too much for many.
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