Plausible to move to Hong Kong?

Hi Ross

What nationality are you? You might be able to go over for a while without bothering with getting a visa - see the tourist visa section of the Visas for Hong Kong page.

If you want to work you will need to find a job and then apply for a work permit. I *think* you can do this wthin in Hong Kong without going home on a visa run (and then returning on the correct visa). You will need to have a letter from an employer (job offer), business documents (to show the business is legit), and documentation to show that the job can't be fulfilled by a local (usually including degree certificates).

You will need to find a job that can't be done by a local, so as you don't speak Mandarin bar tending is most likely out unless you find a very sympathetic manager who will argue with the authorities that you were the only person who could do the job - although anyone willing to do this for you will probably not pay you much. Your best bet is teaching English, although again, the fact that you don't have a degree will mean you'll need to take a job at a less-than-ideal school which is willing to overlook the fact that you don't have a bachelor's degree (usually a prerequisit for teaching anywhere in the East) and which therefore won't pay you as well.

In a nutshell, I think you might struggle to find something. Maybe you could treat the trip as a fact-finding holiday where seeing your friend is the main point - then look for something while you're there, but don't spend all your savings going over there if it means you'll be bankrupt if you can't find a job.

Hey there, I'm a UK national, English to be specific so I believe I get the 6 month visa waiver for actual travel but would still need a work visa. for the english language job I don't have a full university degree no, I dropped out at the end of second year and have some form of one but its in Graphic Design! I could take a TEFL course though maybe if that would help? Bar work is what I'd really prefer though, I'm a pretty good bartender with a wide knowledge and looking at a lot of bars menus there I know the majority of things they serve already, are the authorities that strict with the it having to be a totally undoable job by a local? Surely in some bars frequented by ex pats a natural english speaker would be viewed as a good thing?

Hi Ross

Hong Kong has higher expectations of its English teachers than other ESL destination countries in the East. Still, since you are a British first-language English speaker you will definitely find something. You may want to time it so you arrive before the start of the school year in August, or before the fall term in January/February if you go this route. You could also tutor kids privately, although without a full time job as well this would technically be illegal.

It's good you can stay for as long as that - you have time to look around and so you might get lucky with bar work. It will depend on the place. Perhaps your friend could do some advanced research for you by handing in your CV at some likely looking places and see what they say.

Of course you could always try to work illegally and leave/re-enter HK when your visa is up, but its hard to know whether this will fly with immigration officials - it depends on whether they figure out what you're up to, the mood of the official that day, etc. There are people who manage to live in HK for years doing it this way, although I don't recommend it if you value peace of mind :) ...but you could treat this route as a last resort back-up plan!

To answer your other question, accommodation in Hong Kong is very expensive - one of the highest in the world. You might find you need to share a place with someone.

Hi there,
I don't have specific experience of this situation, but I know that there are plenty of people working in bars out here that don't speak Cantonese or Mandarin.  I am not sure what their visa status might be and I'm not sure if bars/restaurants would be opening to sponsor you for a work visa, but that said, many Bars have Western Managers over here, so who knows.

My suggestion if you really want to try, is to come over for 3 months, don't burn your bridges at home, head straight to the bars of Lan Kwai Fong and Wan Chai and ask around as to what's available and how it's done...OR if you friend is really keen for you to come maybe they could get chatting to a few people in local bars next time they are out and about?

Hope that's helpful, and if not please ask more questions!

Norma

Thank you for you're answers guys! My friend lives there and has a local girlfriend, they are going to hand out CV's for me and talk to people they know in the bar trade seem as cocktail making is my passion and skill really, simple as that is! Hopefully accommodation isn't a big problem as my friend lives on Lamma Island atm and says come that time his house mate might be moving out so I could take the room *fingers crossed* I just wanted you're guys opinion on the possibility of it coming through, ie if there's a lot of western or non canto/mandarin speaking bar workers and Norma's answer especially is good to hear! As for working illegally I'd really prefer not as I'm painfully law abiding really plus wouldn't that mean any other form of accommodation would be even harder to find? I won't be burning my bridges anyway, I'll be renting my flat out at a profit hopefully to cover my rent in HK on a 6 month tenancy so I can always come back and take it back plus I have a good relationship with my current bosses.

Hey Ross, Im prettttty much in exactly the same situation as you were when you posted this thread, I have already arived in Hong Kong though! So how did it all go, are you a resident here now, did you find work? Hope to hear your story, Ross.

hey guys i am a young man from Zimbabwe bt working in South Africa.I was thinking of going to do job hunting for 3 months visa free in Hong kong.Do you think i might be able to find somethin coz i have the Diploma in Tourism and Hospitality.Its unfortunate i dont know anyone there as well.Please help me out