Job Discussion Forums

[chopstix]

I am hoping some of you have experienced a similar situation. Offers will be coming in soon after an extensive wait however, I have a contract extension now (outside of HK) until beginning of October due to my not wanting to be without work for a few months waiting for the slowest system I have ever delt with in my life. EMB always states in emails DO NOT RESIGN FROM CURRENT JOB UNTIL YOU HAVE A POSITION in the scheme. I am wanting to know if schools will wait for you if they feel you are a good match? Or ill there be openings as late as October? Any help is appreciated! Also can the visa be worked on while you are outside the country earning so you aren't sitting around for 6 weeks?

[Smoog]

EMB is horrendously slow. When I had my interview 3 years ago it was in mid-May. I was told just 2 days later I'd been accepted, but it wasn't until July that they finished processing my application and were only then sending my details out to schools. By then I'd already handed in my 6 weeks notice and booked my ticket.
I came anyway and got myself a job in a tutorial centre (not something I'd recommend unless you're desperate). I was offered a position mid-August, but as I'd signed the contract for the tutorial centre, turned it down. I was offered a PNET position the following March which I did take.

I think it's up to you. If you're single and want to risk it, then you could come over. This time of year, all the tutorial centres are looking for teachers, so you can go that route while waiting for the EMB to get their a into g.
As I said, tutorial centre teaching is not wonderful - pays a lot less and it's just a sausage-making factory. But it would tide you over. If you're bringing family over, it's a definite no. It's not enough for a family to live on.

On the plus side, they're still interviewing (a friend has hers on the 25th June), which implies they haven't found enough people as yet. The deadline for schools this year for telling the EMb whether they needed a NET was May 4th. The EMB finally sent round to all PNETs whose contracts weren't renewed a list of all schools looking last Friday (June 8 ).
There's over 70 schools on the PNET list - and that's just the schools who want the EMB to find them a PNET (quite a few opt to advertise and look themselves).

[Serious_Fun]

[11:59]

A contact in the relevant section at the EMB told me only yesterday that there is still a shortfall of some 40% of teachers needed for the PNET scheme for the next academic year. Needless to say, they are still inviting applications.

[Smoog]

[BCinHK]

Chopstix:

My suggestion: Don't give notice at your current job until you have a signed contract in hand. The NET contract requires us to give one month's notice, so the school should give you at least one month to leave your current employer and pack your bags. The contract can be found at www.emb.gov.hk - look for the NET button at the bottom of the page.

Once you have the signed contract, it takes time to get the employment visa application plus accompanying documents from both sides (you and the school) to immigration. This includes a photocopy of the contract. You can download all the forms at www.immd.gov.hk.

It takes the Immigration Department about 4 weeks to process an employment visa. Do not arrive in HK without your visa or at least without assurance from the Immigration Department (not the school) that your visa is about to be issued. It is illegal to work in Hong Kong (even as a volunteer) without a proper visa.

About arriving in October - don't worry about it. NETs arrive throughout the year. For example, the second cohort of NETs all arrived in January and February 1999. Some NETs have dropped out of courses and left jobs in other places early thus losing credits or bonuses to take up NET positions. When they got here they found that there was no rush (and even no classes to teach), they could have stayed for the few weeks that it would have taken to finish at the place they were.

Also, there seems to be a "looming" shortage of NETs (Education Post, May 26,2007) which probably exists already.

You haven't said whether you are a primary or secondary NET. Secondary schools may be more pushy about when you should arrive as they've had NETs longer that primary schools.

You also need to think about the future: If you left the current job early, would you be burning a bridge that you might need some day?

It's not an easy decision to make. If you feel pressured by a school to do something that doesn't feel right to you, it's best to say no now rather than regret it later!

[Honky Nick]

Private message me for an extensive list of schools looking for NETs.