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Work Permit Question

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  1. #1

    Work Permit Question

    I've been offered an internal transfer to Hong Kong which I've just accepted. I work for a large MNC with a pretty significant presence in Hong Kong and they've had lots of contact with the HK Immigration Department before. As part of the work visa application it asks for qualifications specifying that a good university degree is necessary. Problem is, I don't have one. I've got 8 years of industry experience and professional qualifications stemming from that. Does anyone know if not having a uni degree would significantly hinder my application?

    Cheers


  2. #2

    Join Date
    Jun 2005
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    Hong Kong
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    Well it's not going to help, but with 8 years of experience, and an internal transfer with an MNC who is well-known to ImmD I doubt that it will be a problem. Do you actually have any option at this point except applying and seeing what they say?


  3. #3

    Thanks for your reply.

    We're definitely pushing ahead with the application. The company has an immigration lawyer who will be running point on it and I'm speaking with her tomorrow. It was just that I was sent through my portion of the application to complete and saw the requirements under the qualifications section. My company is aware that I don't have a degree and they came to me with the job so I doubt they are too concerned. But you know what it is like when you spot something you don't expect - would hate to have this amazing opportunity taken away because I didn't go to uni.

    Cheers


  4. #4

    Join Date
    Apr 2010
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    Don't see any reasons why you should have any issues. I was exactly in the same position, 10 years in a Multinational company, no diplomas and have been offered a job in HKG. I filled the files and got my work visa in just 2 weeks....
    So shouldn't be a problem for you either...
    Good luck!


  5. #5

    I'm currently in the same boat, I have 9 years experience in Workforce Planning and no B.Degree and a large HK company has offered me a job. I've already resigned my current role in Australia and Im really fearful that they will refuse my visa cause of no Bachelor Degree.


  6. #6

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    markjoana

    I wouldn't worry about it. Sounds like you have pretty specialist skills and experience that are hard to come by in HK. That's the criteria for a work visa (that the company couldn't find a suitable local to do the job) so I really wouldn't worry about it. I have friends here who have no degree but specific experience, they got visas no problems.

    markjoana168 likes this.

  7. #7

    ended up getting my work visa in just over two weeks with no problems at all. have been in Hong Kong now for a couple of weeks and am loving it. best of luck with your application.


  8. #8

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    This is interesting.. When we were in the US we had a co-worker who was working with our company stationed in Philippines and had an internal transfer to our office is Oakland. The INS (USA Immigration) denied the H1B Application since he had not finished school and had no diploma/degree. The main point of the USA Immigration was that how can you be a skilled person if you were not able to finish school. The only option of our co-worker is to marry someone or go back to school and get a degree


  9. #9

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    I don't think it's strange I think it's sensible. Not all careers require a degree or indeed any qualification, experience can be just as useful.


  10. #10

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    As per a similar post I made there are plenty of foreign chefs here in Hong Kong and I am pretty sure that not all of them have gone to uni. Specialist skills and the inability to find a suitable local are the key terms here. A degree only happens to be a signal to you having the specialist skills except in certain circumstances (eg being a doctor).


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