Looking for work in Hong Kong

[Legeril]

Hey guys, I am going to be starting a TEFL course in Zhuhai China just after new year. Although I dont have a degree, I am 2 years into a Bsc back in England and I have taken some time out to see the world and hopefully save some money before going back to complete my final year.

I am going to be focusing my search on Hong Kong and Macao, so I would very much appriciate any input from people with work experience in that area. How easy was it to find work? Good and Bad points. Also I have been told that having a partial degree will go someway to helping find work, also does anybody know any companies that help people 'contract' work in that area? I have come across these guys http://www.gz3rsconsultancy.com/english/ but the website seems very complicated and difficult to use so they haven't inspired the greatest confidence. I am just trying to maximise my points of contact and oppertunities before I get there, you can never do enough research I've found

Thank you in advance for any help

[mcgau]

it seems difficult to get a decent job in hong kong without money, or special skills. Degree won't help much, partial degree makes it worse.

To get a job in hong kong, employers need to prove why they can't get local talents. If you're rich, you can apply for investment visa and make your own business but not feasible for students. To teach English in Hong Kong schools , you need to have

PGCE.

I actually met a british many years ago in a bar in Soho. He worked as a waiter because he could stay in hong kong for 180 days. It was illegal and he risked himself being jailed and expelled by the very strict immigration law enforcers.

As an illegal worker in Hong kong, you wouldn't get any decent pay in hong kong, possibly less than 7k or even lesser, and the cost of living there could kill you.

The best bet is to work in Shenzhen. The law enforcement tends to be weaker and some businessmen actually enjoy hiring a british or american employee because it's a kind of stuff for building up their status. Girls are preferred. Earning RMB is better than earning the depreciating Hong Kong Dollars.

[Erbse]

it seems difficult to get a decent job in hong kong without money, or special skills. Degree won't help much, partial degree makes it worse

So all those people hanging around in LKF every night have money or special skills?

I agree, without at least a Bachelor degree it's very hard. However with a Bachelor degree in some useful field anyone will get a warm welcome.

[mcgau]

Special talent doesn't mean.... what you see in Britain's Got Talent but employers still need to prove to the immigration department that you have talents that can't be recruited locally.

A lot of expats work for financial and auditing sector, although hundreds of graduates are available every year. So i guess it's not really difficult to prove anything. It's just difficult to get a boss to sponsor you to get a work permit. For non degree holders, i think it's hard.

Edited December 15, 2009 at 12:04 AM by mcgau

[Legeril]

Well I've been to HK a few times, as I study kung fu there with the Lau family. So I can allways get them to sponser me if I ever need it, but that is why my initial search area is so small as I need a place where I can get to and from my training school fairly easily.

I'm doing a course in teaching english to children too, so I will have that on top of my TEFL qualification. The Gateway Language Village is where I will be doing my course and they say they have lots of contacts with schools in the area, I'll just have to hope I come across somthing asap or I'll have to widen my search a bit.

[whereishunter]

I agree with mcgau about it being hard for non degree holders, but not impossible. You best bet is to get to HK first and then try to find a job.

If that fails I would try Shenzhen but you need to remember the cost of living in HK and the mainland is very different. Therefor the wages are also very different.

[abcdefg]

Hey guys, I am going to be starting a TEFL course in Zhuhai China just after new year.

Which TEFL school will you be attending in Zhuhai? Perhaps they will have some leads or contacts.

[Legeril]

From what I have seen and heard about the school so far, it seems they have alot of contacts in and around the local area. Though I only have their word for this so far. The company I'm doing the course with is http://teflcorp.com/ and they are hosted by http://www.glvchina.com/english/main.php. So they seem to be very well accredited.

[abcdefg]

GLV has been around a while and they are well connected. I have friends who have studied there and taught on their staff. There's a language school right across the square where you can arrange some Mandarin tutoring if GLV doesn't offer to help you with that. GLV used to offer Mandarin instruction, but they stopped, and now concentrate on the more lucrative "teaching English" side of the equation.

Let me suggest you forget about HK and Macau as places to work and concentrate on Zhuhai instead. It's a wonderful city with a great demand for ESL teachers. I've lived there off and on for a couple years. It's a sweet place to reside and every time I go there, it's difficult to tear myself away and leave again.

HK is way too expensive and you can easily wind up speaking a strange mix of English, Cantonese and Mandarin. It's also way too easy to settele into an expat enclave and expat way of life. Ditto for Macau, although it's a tremendous place for a long, wild weekend every now and then.

[Legeril]

Thanks abcdefg you talk alot of sense, Zhuhai is close enough to HK for me to be able to come and go easily enough from my training so I will definatly take your advice. I'm also glad others have heard of the GLV, this goes along way to soothing my worries as they have been rife in the build up to my flight though I am sure this is normal for first-timers.

[abcdefg]

Yes, I understand the feeling, and it's normal. GLV actually exists. I've set foot inside their doors. It's in a pleasant neighborhood with lots of congenial eating places.

And Zhuhai is an easy place to navigate and get to know: not too big, good bus system, abundant taxis, etc. Plenty of recreation venues plus it's always fine to just walk along the seashore.

The fresh seafood in Zhuhai is amazing: it's plentiful and relatively cheap. I always have a good time there. It’s my second China home (Kunming is my main one.)