No idea where to start!

probablyedible · 21-12-2009, 08:11 AM

Hello everyone, after looking through these forums I'm still completely confused as to where I need to start!

I'm 23 (UK citizen) and my boyfriend and I have fallen in love with Hong Kong. I was born here in '86 but only stayed for 3 months because my father was posted elsewhere (army).

I finally got the chance to come back this year and was overwhelmed by HK.

However I'm very aware that our prospects for moving to HK are poor. My boyfriend is a (very good) motorcycle engineer who specializes in Harley Davidson and Triumph. I'm sure there's a possibility there for work.

His salary here is just enough for a small house and all the comforts we need such as gas, electricity, TV and most importantly food!

I'm going to be the problem. Without going into too much detail, my health can be rather fragile at times so I am mostly out of work. I am fully able to work from home but with so little experience of anything other than clerical, photo-editing/basic graphic design work I can't see how I could be particularly useful!

I'm about to start learning Cantonese as I suppose translation work might be viable, plus I love the language

While it's my dream to live in HK I'd like an honest opinion as to wheather it's remotely possible.

Thanks in advance and sorry if this is a nuisance!

Beanieskis · 21-12-2009, 08:50 AM

Hi

Have you done any research as to whether your boyfriend would be able to get an employment visa with his skills? I have no idea, but they do normally say a university degree or experience. I guess if motorcycle engineers are in short supply in HK, it might be possible, but to me it seems like the kind of job where you'd need to speak Cantonese. Alternatively he could investigate opportunities for setting up his own business and apply for a business visa, but unless he's run his own business before in the UK it might be difficult to convince immigration it's viable.

If your boyfriend could get a one of these visas, then the easiest option would be for you to get married, and you could then work freely, be that from home or whatever.

BryanL · 21-12-2009, 08:29 PM

What kind of jobs would you like to do while you are in HK? If you cannot speak cantonese now and just learning, the prospects of being a translator is very slim as you will have a very hard time convincing people that you can do the job.

If you were born in HK, did you ever have the Right to Abode? If you do, then you probably lost that right but now have the Right to land allowing you to live, work and study freely in HK. You can then come to HK, find a job and get your boyfriend a dependent visa if you two marry.

That would be my best suggestion. Best of luck!

Load Toad · 21-12-2009, 08:42 PM

I think you are struggling.
Your best bet might be if your boyfriends engineering skills were a) backed up by qualifications & b) those skills were applicable and transferable to the aviation industry or shipping. I frankly doubt that being able to repair motorbikes no matter how specialised is going to be much use. Plus as mentioned there will be the language issues, finding someone to sponsor a visa and getting a liveable salary.
It doesn't sound either like you could look at the investment visa options & being born to an Army family and living 3 months here as a baby will count for nothing.