I'm fantasising.Original Post Deleted
I'm fantasising.Original Post Deleted
I think you're both right. HK been the world's gateway into China and China's gateway to the world. It has been the world's most important border town because both sides can have a sense of comfort and belonging . . . but that is no longer the case.
'Non-Cantonese speaking young expat families that cannot afford international school fees' are not the kind of people Hong Kong wants. Just look at Singapore, they're attracting foreigners who earn a monthly salary of SGD 30,000 and above. Asian cities want to attract top global talent.
Following CX slashing their T&Cs, it's made it very hard for them to recruit overseas pilots with young families, if the pilot is the main breadwinner. An FO's salary will not support, for example, rent, and two children in international schools. That's made the pool of pilots they can recruit from much smaller than before. And CX still offer a better deal than the other airlines, who will find it even harder... I don't think they're going to find a bunch of Cantonese speaking qualified pilots. This is just one example, I'm sure there are plenty of other examples of jobs that are struggling to be filled locally, and pay well above the average HK salary - but not enough to pay school fees so ruling out anyone with children.
Factor in large number of people temporarity hired for Anti-covid fight (Community Centres, Quarantine prisons and other facilities, Ambush lockdown, cleaning staffs in hazmat, testing laboratories and so on), also Govt declared anti-pandemic fund for Govt departments to create temporary positions which is also coming to an end soon, add in first/second round package of millions of dollars to crony companies (Centaline types) helped them hold on to those scumbags which should run out soon with falling transactions, add in few rounds of ESS helping employers to hold on to staffs with partial help.. Net positive effect of all these should come to an end soon, finally in looming global recession and unemployment rate in rearview mirror will look meaningless, lets see where it goes next year unless Govt declares another steroid package.. Any futuristic growth plan in much touted soon to be release policy address, tech innovation and GBA integration bla bla rhetoric is yawn worthy in current environment..
Families who earn well above the average HK salary should be able to afford international school fees. There are cheaper options among international schools. Do you know HK actually has more than 100 English-medium schools, but most expats don't send their kids there, probably because the schools are considered 'too local.'