Where is the cheapest place to live?

[chingleutsch]

If OP's friend is currently working in a cram school in Taiwan, I don't know if they have the qualifications and experience to get into the EdB NET scheme here - my suspicion (forgive me if I'm just being an old cynic) is that they might be looking for more, err, general, TEFL work.

In which case I would strongly advise heading out to the New Territories, because salaries are much the same all over, but cram schools and kindergartens are always looking for staff in less "fashionable" areas, AND the rent is much cheaper, AND you save both time and money on commuting.

[Skyhook]

I'd tell him to stay away from HK. Why live like a prisoner in a little cellsized flat in this overpriced city? Go somewhere else and get a life - I mean that in the nicest possible way.

I reckon that is excellent advice above, now that rents in HK are reaching a level that isn't so bookblogger/backpacker and alternate ( frugal ) lifestyle friendly, it will become exponentially challenging for low income workers, local or expat, both are going to struggle.

Sai Kung landlords are also squeezing the alternates out( just like Lamma's are ) as hipster professionals move further out due to OTT BS rents on HK Island, so there have been some quite marked changes to the expat scenery where we live. A couple of my lower paid freelance writer mates have had to shack up with each other, sharing a place together as Sai Kung rents ramp up to heady ( unaffordable for low income earner ) levels.

To think you could have rented an entire village house of 2100ft2 for $12,000 in SK out here less than a decade ago, heck mates of mine were renting 1400ft2 places in Happy Valley for $16K ! lol.

If HK is trying to become the Monaco of Asia, shouldnt the government start farming the poor and lower middle classes across the border, (Monaco style ) and only have the poor menial workers cross the border each day to work in HK, then return back to their SZ hovels.? < large dose of sarcasm.

Over a few business lunches I have had recently, I keep hearing the same styles of conversation lately, " HK is too expensive to business in", "we're planning to move our Asia pacific HQ to X country at the end of the next financial year blah blah blah.

[Bob Loblaw]

. I even know one family with a silly-cheap village house on one of the hills around Shatin Station: it takes them 40+ minutes to walk up, but only 5 minutes to slide down when there's a good head of water running down the path.

I know that area. Or kind of, anyway. It's beautiful up there, great views of Ma On Shan, Shatin Pass, etc.
Those folks must have some *serious* muscles in their calves.

and yeah, i've spent a fair amount of time up in the hills. There are some villages that are way off the beaten path. The ones you can drive to tend to look pretty nice and spendy. The ones that are harder to drive to, I bet they're super cheap. Woudln't want to try to do that without knowing Cantonese. And folks let their dogs wander more than I'd like.

[chodaboy]

All the estate agents in those areas (in fact in most areas) have listings for those shared units. Usually the notices are only in Chinese so you will have to go in and ask.

Do the agents speak English? lol Most locals run away if they are talking to foreigners (-_-)

If you friend is a teacher then he could teach anywhere - he should look into the NET scheme for decent teaching jobs for qualified teachers. They get a housing allowance anyway and you can (and probably better to) apply while overseas.

If OP's friend is currently working in a cram school in Taiwan, I don't know if they have the qualifications and experience to get into the EdB NET scheme here - my suspicion (forgive me if I'm just being an old cynic) is that they might be looking for more, err, general, TEFL work.

What qualifications do one need to be accepted into the NET scheme?
I don't think my friend even has a TEFL/TESOL certifcate LOL
He told me the cram schools across Taiwan will hire any foreign-looking person to teach English, whether he has a experience/qualifications or not.
Would he be able to land a simple tutoring job (even if it's not NET) here?

[croash]

Do they have a degree? That's usually the minimum for a work visa?
Seem to be enough ads for jobs in small learning centres. Forget the NET scheme if no education qualifications I think

[chodaboy]

Do they have a degree? That's usually the minimum for a work visa?
Seem to be enough ads for jobs in small learning centres. Forget the NET scheme if no education qualifications I think

Yeah, he has a degree. Already graduated from university, but his major has nothing to do with teaching or languages. I think he studied something to do with computer design, or something along those lines.

[chingleutsch]

OK, so, non-related degree and probably no TESOL or equivalent, but foreign (presumably caucasian??) looks... there are certainly places which would employ your friend, but the question is would he want to work for that kind of employer?

The HK TEFL market is rather more developed than the Taiwan one, so people without appropriate qualifications are pretty much restricted to pre- and primary school level cram schools, and there are enough qualified TEFLers around to mean that others are pretty much doomed to the bottom of the pond.

[chodaboy]

OK, so, non-related degree and probably no TESOL or equivalent, but foreign (presumably caucasian??) looks... there are certainly places which would employ your friend, but the question is would he want to work for that kind of employer?

The HK TEFL market is rather more developed than the Taiwan one, so people without appropriate qualifications are pretty much restricted to pre- and primary school level cram schools, and there are enough qualified TEFLers around to mean that others are pretty much doomed to the bottom of the pond.

lol Yeah, he is Caucasian, from the U.S., which is probably why he can get jobs teaching English in Taiwan so easily.
I have a Chinese friend (ABC) living in Taiwan also, native English speaker, but he hasn't had any luck landing a job lol
I don't know about the schools here in HK though, whether he has a shot here or not

[wtbhotia]

big warning about some of these learning centres in HK, i have read so many post from teachers trying to leave but contract has penelties or having trouble getting paid etc, tell your friend to look over the contract very carefully and dont start work until the work visa is stuck in the passport, some companies will say its ok start work now and the visa is in process, that is still ILLEGAL.

[chodaboy]

big warning about some of these learning centres in HK, i have read so many post from teachers trying to leave but contract has penelties or having trouble getting paid etc, tell your friend to look over the contract very carefully and dont start work until the work visa is stuck in the passport, some companies will say its ok start work now and the visa is in process, that is still ILLEGAL.

What happens if he gets the working visa and he wants to leave the company before his contract is up? I assume they sign up tutors for x amount of months, and extend the contract if he does a good job?
I think he'll just look for a job while he's here, since he can stay in HK visa-free using his U.S.passport.