Job Discussion Forums

[Sarcastro]

PRC rejected my visa app. Willing to work here in HK till I can get the money to go back. Any suggestions on what places will be willing to hire ASAP? I am a US Citizen, have 3 yrs ESL teaching experience, and a BS in Secondary Ed: Hist/Social Studies.

[TeacherTim]

Sorry, but you'll also have to apply for a HK visa before coming here. Even illegal work is hard to come by because of the huge number of expat workers and their dependants.

[sistercream]

I read in another HK forum that you came here on a visa run from mainland because you had been working for a new employer while still on a z visa from a previous employer (if there are two people in the same position and with the same screen name, and I've got you confused, please forgive me).

Now you want to start work illegally in Hong Kong? Same as on the other side of the Shenzhen River (and most countries in the world), you need that employer-specific employment visa firmly attached to your passport BEFORE you can start work legally. Here, for a language centre, the process after you've found an employer willing to hire usually takes 4 - 6 weeks.

Sure, you'd find unscrupulous mills who'd hire you, but you'll find yourself without redress yet again when they "forget" to apply for your employment visa, decide to employ someone else, and let you go without pay.

I think the folks on geoexpat are right - cut your losses, go home, and put this down to experience.

[Spelunker]

First of all sorry to hear of this. It seems the easy days of doing a visa run to HK, and now I suspect thailand are well and truly gone. How fast things change, or maybe we are getting old

Is picking up any work in HK an option, even part time, and renting a cheap guesthouse room? Not too sure of the work visa procedure there, thought you had to have one BEFORE you go?

Good luck
A

[Perilla]

HK is relatively easy to get into (hence, for example, the high number of asylum seekers) but I wouldn't recommend it for an illegal TEFL stay-over. Why? TEFL rates are low (especially if dodgy) and overheads are high. Living costs and accommodation are especially expensive. Chances are you'll burn your savings before finding a good number on the side, and by then your 3 months may be up. OK a visa extension or two is feasible, but all things considered there must be better places for easy pickings.

[Spelunker]

OK a visa extension or two is feasible, but all things considered there must be better places for easy pickings.

Good points. I think HK is expensive, even for full time teflers with apartment. The OP may be better looking elsewhere