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Teaching English Situation in Hong Kong?

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  1. #11

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    Original Post Deleted
    I know these indexes are ballpark figures but other sites do have similar percents of COL all indicating it's much higher here:

    https://www.expatistan.com/cost-of-l...-kong/fukuoka?
    DennisMilano likes this.

  2. #12

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    Totally agree there. That's why I'm here
    I do miss the relatively carefree and low pressure days of back when I was still doing ESL though.

    What's the upper end of an ESL position here, $35-40k? Starting appears to be around $23k?
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  3. #13

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    Thanks for that - very useful feedback and observations! And also thanks for the in-depth cost of living comparisons.

    HK would be the place for me because it’s already familiar to me, but looking at the cost of living combined with the starting salary as someone who isn’t experienced, I get why it’s better to start in other places.

    Korea and Japan are pretty much impossible for me because I have an EU passport not from a native English-speaking country and that’s a main criteria to get an English language teaching job there . So it’s probably more Vietnam/Thailand/Taiwan at this stage. I’ll have to have a look at some facebook groups!

    DennisMilano - Didn’t know about the TYLEC, need to look into the free online teaching courses. – where did you see them? Sorry to be daft but whenever I type in English language teaching course TEFL, CELTA, and CertTESOL pop up – all moved online now due to the pandemic, some discounted, some not.


    Quote Originally Posted by Cornmeal:
    Totally agree there. That's why I'm here
    I do miss the relatively carefree and low pressure days of back when I was still doing ESL though.
    Interested to find out what you are doing now after ESL?
    imparanoic likes this.

  4. #14

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    You get paid for HK experience as well... I would say that 2 years of HK experience is worth 10 of any other place in terms of salary... I worked in kindergartens for 10 years and could get $2500+ per day, 9-4 with an hour lunch in the end... I was still seeing 'new' teachers getting around $1000 per day even with Early Learning qualifications and years of o'seas experience...

    If you do a few after school gigs, add a few private lessons, especially groups, $70k-$80k is very doable... but it takes years and luck to build up a pipeline like that and if you're prepared to work until 8pm every evening and all day Saturday you can push that up to $100k...

    At the extremes, I have one teacher pal who was still earning 20k in a local kg after 10 years, I know another who drives a Porsche and has a whole village house with sea views in Sai Kung... EDB Net Scheme! YMMV

    The only place you can make more money teaching ESL is in the Gulf States but that's only because of the fringe benefits...

    The problem in HK is the cost of living... to be fair, I have two kids, but I found it remarkably easy to spend a lot of money in HK without feeling that I was spending on luxuries... I don't drink or smoke or party or wear designer gear, etc...

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  5. #15

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    Most of the current and future opportunities in this space are in Mainland China. Shenzhen and Guangzhou openings are being posted on many job sites and Wechat posts.


  6. #16

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    If you are in your mid-30s, then it is worth considering that there is one more window to consider a career re-set prior to hitting the big 4-zero brick wall. It may be that you wish to pursue the next decade as a TEFL nomad, in which case OK, but whereas those in their 20s might have time to burn, your situation is different. So what to do? I would suggest use your current situation in the UK and undertake a general teaching Cert Ed with a view to securing employment as a school teacher in the UK. That will get you, hopefully, a pensionable career path and your qualifications will be an asset rather than accumulated trinkets. Maybe after a couple of years of UK employment, there is some opportunity in HK, but that can wait.
    (PS, don't know whether the last 10 years have any bearing on the above).

    Last edited by walkup; 27-04-2020 at 04:14 PM.

  7. #17

    Most English jobs state that Online TEFL not acceptable so don’t waste your money.


  8. #18

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    May 2008
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    Aim higher than a learning center.

    You have a CELTA and a Bachelors Degree and a Masters degree, if I was you I'd start looking into doing a PGCE or PGDE and that will help solidify the credentials that you need.

    I'm currently a Senior Teacher in one of the larger learning centres in Hong Kong and the situation is not great. My friends on the NET scheme, however, have managed to get a $4000 raise during this time period.