Job Discussion Forums

[vaughntb1]

Current situation as follows:

1. Pass EMB interview
2. All paperwork / references checked
3. Job offer on behalf of EMB> Offer accepted (Dec. 2005)
4. All paperwork / references checked again (Jan. - Feb 2006)
EMB notifies me that provisional offer / contract will be sent out soon.
Employment to commence May 2006.
5. EMB staff member busy / away after repeated calls, e-mails. No offer
or contract received.
6. Contact made with EMB. Am told to wait for job offer. (Feb. Mar. 2006)
7. Still no offer. Date is April 6. EMB staff tell me there will still be enough time for my visa to be processed and all the paperwork signed and sealed (once it has been sent out!!) Meanwhile I do not sleep well at night...

Can any of you current NETs out there shed any light? Will I have enough time to sign all the paperwork AND get my visa processed before early May? Am I dreaming???? 3 weeks before I am due to arrive in HK and I　am terrified！

[munasa]

Have you heard from your school? I've read your post and you seem to have an offer from the EMB, but nothing from a school -- is that correct? Usually after the EMB offers you a job, your name is passed onto a school or schools and the school that 'chooses' you should then contact you with an offer. If it is a government school, the EMB will organise your contract and visa. If it is a non-government school, the school will make the arrangements. In any case, you need to have signed a contract before you can apply for a visa.

It is possible to sign a contract and have a visa in hand in the space of three weeks, but it's cutting things a bit fine.

Some NETs come to HK without a visa, entering as visitors, and then waiting for their visa here, but they are not permitted to work during the waiting time.

It looks as if you are still waiting for an offer from a school. Once they have made the offer and you have accepted it, your contract is sent to you along with the paperwork for your visa application. I don't know if this is all possible before May 6.

It is OK to ask the school NOT to send your visa to you, but to give it to you after you arrive. You then go to the immigration office to get it put in your passport and activated, or you make a short trip to Macau and back. OR you could just sit tight at home until the visa arrives -- it depends on how flexible your travel plans are.

Just make sure you don't come here and your visa goes there -- as happened to my friend.

[vaughntb1]

Thanks for your reply munasa.

Initially I communicated with one of the two schools that I am to be working for. I have also been in contact with the local NET teacher, whose position I will be taking over as he is moving to one of the partner schools to teach come the new semester.

The EMB stated that they would prepare a provisional job offer, contract and salary assessment that will be sent out to me. I have not received any of this information and therefore I am concerned that there will be insufficient time to sign the contract and get my visa prepared before I arrive in Hong Kong.

The EMB told me yesterday that my job is now to start on May 15, although I am due to arrive in HK on April 28. I guess depending on how soon I get the info. from the EMB will determine if there is enough time for my visa to be processed outside of the country. Like you had mentioned, I don't want to arrive in HK while my visa is sent to my home country!!

Thanks for all your help munasa...guess I will make it there one way or another!