Like Tree2Likes

Live in Hong Kong, Work in Shenzhen?

Closed Thread
Page 3 of 3 FirstFirst 1 2 3
  1. #21

    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Location
    Napa, California
    Posts
    7

    Well, I'm flying out tomorrow, so soon, I will have a better sense of Shenzhen and Hong Kong. Apparently, the company does have an office in Hong Kong as well, and my husband has been pushing to work out of that office so we can live in HK. It may be a possibility, but I'm trying to keep an open mind about Shenzhen. I spoke with another expat recently who said she definitely recommends HK over SZ. We don't have kids, so schooling is not an issue.


  2. #22

    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Location
    Napa, California
    Posts
    7

    Update: I just returned to the U.S. after a whirlwind visit to Shenzhen and Hong Kong. Maybe we didn't visit the right parts of Shenzhen, but I just can't envision myself living there. We did spend some time in Shekou/Sea World, and I visited a couple of the large shopping centers, but I encountered very few other expats. I plan to study the language, but it will be some time before I can communicate effectively. English doesn't seem to be widely spoken. To me, SZ seemed like a sprawling suburb, and I'm afraid I'd feel very isolated there.

    Hong Kong was another story entirely. Although it would be a huge change, I could envision myself living there. We met a few other expats right away, and I could easily navigate the MTR and make myself understood in the shops. And I definitely think there would be more career opportunities for me there.

    My husband is at the Shenzhen office for another week. However, he's told the company that living in SZ will not work for us. He comes home for 10 days before leaving for a trade show in Europe. Once he gets back from that trip, we'll see how (if?) the company plans to assist us with relocating to HK. The commute will be a challenge, but he is also going to tell the company that he will only come in twice a week. (He's the creative director and feels confident he can manage his team remotely. He even thinks he can do the job from the U.S., but the company really wants someone in China.)

    I realize this may not work out. He's told them all along that he wanted to live in HK, so he is prepared to walk away if that's not an option. Also, he is unwilling to sign the employment agreement they've drawn up. Clearly, there are a number of issues still to be resolved. The company seems to play fast and loose with the rules--one expat who has been there two years never even got an official work visa!

    Although I was excited about the prospect of relocating to HK, my gut instinct tells me this may not be the right move for us. We remain in limbo for the time being.

    Thanks again for all your input.


  3. #23

    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Posts
    6,714
    Quote Originally Posted by WineCountryGirl:
    The company seems to play fast and loose with the rules--one expat who has been there two years never even got an official work visa!
    Run away as fast as you can from this offer.

  4. #24

    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Posts
    11,711

    there is no reason why you can't stay near the border in HK, then you husband can commute to sz


  5. #25

    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Location
    Napa, California
    Posts
    7
    Quote Originally Posted by emx:
    Run away as fast as you can from this offer.
    That's my gut feeling, but my husband really wants it to work out. Just found out that another expat started working there two months ago without first securing a work visa. The company has been working on it, but now the employee has to return to his home country because the visa hasn't come through. Who does business like that? Not a reputable company, IMO.

    I'll be glad when my husband gets home. After the trade show, he'll need to add more pages to his passport, which means he won't be able to travel anywhere for awhile. If he does want to continue working for this company, it will give him the perfect opportunity to prove that he can do the job without moving halfway around the world.

  6. #26

    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Posts
    440
    Quote Originally Posted by imparanoic:
    there is no reason why you can't stay near the border in HK, then you husband can commute to sz
    Yea no reason except the major problem with no Visa to live in Hong Kong!

  7. #27

    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Posts
    6,452

    Yeah, or the 2 hour shuffle everyday at the border