Job Discussion Forums

wuliuchiba · Joined: 07 Jul 2013 Posts: 61

I've just been offered a job (reputable high school - I googled them) but since it's so late they say they don't think they can process a work visa in enough time. They need me to come over the last week of August, which is 2 and a half weeks from now. They say that I can come over on a tourist visa and then apply for the work visa when I'm over here. They might be able to see about reimbursing me for a visa run (we'll see about that).

I'm aware that coming over to work on a tourist visa is hardly an ideal situation, but at this late in the hiring season I guess I'm just going to have to take my chances. My main question is that with the July 1 changes, is it still possible to convert the L to Z in Hong Kong? How long does that take?

beckyshaile · Joined: 29 Jul 2013 Posts: 72

"Ideal" ? It's illegal. Take your chances as you say is admission of knowing you are breaking the law. Why would that be acceptable?

5h09un · Joined: 01 Jul 2010 Posts: 140

i did this a few years ago. this is how i came to china, in fact.

to actually answer your question, the truth is that this is a crap shoot. you can still do the HK visa run in some places, but not in others. i've seen people turned away here in heilongjiang a few times recently, but other people who live elsewhere have reported here that it's still possible.

i was reluctant to do this too because i researched it online before i came and found out that this is illegal, blah blah blah. just wait until you finally get over here. the law doesn't mean much in mainland chinese society.

regardless, you don't want to find out the hard way that it isn't possible for you to get a Z visa in HK for wherever you're planning to work. remedying the situation will require you to return to your country and wait for quite a long time.

i wish you the best of luck.

Big Worm · Joined: 02 Jan 2011 Posts: 171

Don't know if you can do visa run in hk or not, but...

Either way, ANY visa run (HK, Seoul, etc.) should be paid for by the employer in this situation (in my opinion), You are doing them a favor by coming over and working illegally, then dorking around with airports, consulates, and god knows what other headaches. A visa run isn't a vacation.

No way you should have to pay for it. Schools have money, they really do. If not, it's not the end of the world to come over in three weeks or whatever.

Also, if they are really that short on cash, (or worse, expecting you to work illegally and then not ponying up for your expense to become legal) you should consider what your conditions will be like during your time at the school.

Good Luck

edited for clarity

kungfuman · Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2013 12:33 pm Post subject:

Big Worm · Joined: 02 Jan 2011 Posts: 171

Also, if you agree to this, they are going to see that you are desperate. Expect more unreasonable requests in the future.

kungfuman · Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2013 12:37 pm Post subject:

^ why is a trip to HK at the school's expense considered unreasonable?

Big Worm · Joined: 02 Jan 2011 Posts: 171

It's not. An unpaid visa run is unreasonable, in my opinion.

doogsville · Joined: 17 Nov 2011 Posts: 924 Location: China

I think it all comes down to guanxi. From my own personal experience and looking at the experience of others, my feeling is that it comes down to whether your employer has enough guanxi with the local PSB to have paperwork that was issued in HK processed when it's probably not supposed to be. If your prospective employer has the clout to get it done then great, if not then you're looking at being fobbed off with excuses for the duration of your contract. My feeling, based on nothing in particular, is that if the company is willing to pay for it then they are probably very confident that they can follow through. In that case I would want a promise from them that they would give you the money up front, rather than reimburse you later. After all, they are the ones asking you to come over and work illegally in order to help them out.

sistercream · Joined: 18 Dec 2010 Posts: 497 Location: Pearl River Delta

News just in - from a number of friends who've just been to (or are still in) Hong Kong sorting out Z visas: the express visa option is no longer available for a number of nationalities. I don't have any claim to knowing a full list, but so far it seems to include Americans, Australians and Schengen zone passport holders - even with all their paperwork in order, and going directly to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, folks are having to hang around for 5 business days to get their visas done. That can be expensive if you don't have free accommodation!

wangdaning · Joined: 22 Jan 2008 Posts: 3154

thaitom · Joined: 31 Dec 2009 Posts: 14

I just read this on the Chinese Embassy website;

http://www.fmcoprc.gov.hk/eng/zgqz/bgfwxx/

This is the correct site?

4, If you don't reside or work in Hong Kong permanently, you are required to apply Chinese visa from the Embassy or Consulate-General of Peoples' Republic of China in your resident country.

wangdaning · Joined: 22 Jan 2008 Posts: 3154

Non Sequitur · Joined: 23 May 2010 Posts: 4724 Location: China