Work experience/internship in Hong Kong on Tourist visa

[Gruntfuttock]

I'm a graduate who's recently moved out here on a tourist visa

This is illegal.

[dietevil]

This is illegal.

I would disagree with that.

Yes, the Immigration Department website says "...unless a person has the right of abode or right to land in the HKSAR, he/she requires an entry visa/permit to...take up residence or to stay in the HKSAR as a visitor longer than the allowed visa free period." However, the ID's view or policy is not the law.

Assuming the OP here doesn't have any special conditions attached to his stay here, he is limited by the conditions stated in Regulation 2 of the Immigration Regulations (Cap. 115A):

1) Permission given to a person to land in Hong Kong as a visitor shall be subject to the following conditions of stay-

(a) he shall not take any employment, whether paid or unpaid;
(b) he shall not establish or join in any business; and
(c) he shall not become a student at a school, university or other educational institution.

There's nothing in there about residence, and ImmD knows it. How do I know that they know? The prolonged visitor visa for same-sex couples. It is obvious that a person on a prolonged visitor visa has moved here with his/her spouse/partner and is resident here. (Whether or not they are "ordinarily resident" is a discussion for another time and topic.) As far as I know, ImmD hasn't tried to get one of these individuals for breaching a condition of stay because they live here.

What is likely to happen to the OP is that ImmD will simply notice the him exiting and reentering too frequently for their tastes and take action to prevent him from coming back, which they are completely within their powers to do.

OP, one thing that is not allowed is unpaid work/internships unless you are a "student intern" or a "work experience student". I haven't looked closely at the relevant law, but it looks like you'd have to be sponsored by an education institutional of some kind. Unless you were a student of that institution (meaning you had a student visa), you probably don't qualify. Read the Minimum Wage Ordinance (Cap. 608) for more information.

[HKHK154]

I'm not an expert but even if the OP did teach English for a while would that not only make it easier for him/her to get a visa in the future if it was for a job relating to teaching English?

This is a real catch 22 situation... get to stay but that's about the only plus.

[Claire ex-ax]

I'm not an expert but even if the OP did teach English for a while would that not only make it easier for him/her to get a visa in the future if it was for a job relating to teaching English?

Not if ImmD finds out the person has been working illegally on a tourist visa. It would get him a short trip to the airport and an exclusion order. Would the risk of that be worth the 'experience'?

[Trebor]

thanks for all the quick responses! I'm a UK national so no working holiday scheme (so annoying), and only 23 so marriage isn't really on my mind at the moment!!

Language skills wise - English. I have been offered a job at a kindergarten that was completely legit and could get a visa through, only problem is that I'd basically have to work for them (and only in teaching) whilst I'm out here.. happy to do that but only as a last resort, although it's seeming to pan out that way more and more.

So it's a job or no job, not even if the 'experience' I had was something that I could say I was doing as a hobby or just helping out, correct?

As of January 01 British passport holders can apply for the working holiday visa now

[brightstar106]

Amazing news! Thanks for the heads up