Los Angeles to Hong Kong

dfalkenstein · 16-01-2011, 05:05 PM

Thank you everyone for your input. Of course a degree would be best. So far the only plausible idea i have come up with would be acquiring Professional certifications such as a CISSP, GIAC, CCNA, etc etc. and finding a sponsor company. Is there much work in HK as an expat in the network security field? My revised plan would be to learn Canto and acquire some professional certifications within the year. This i would deduce would greatly increase my chances of acquiring a visa. Again thank you everyone for your help and truly never meant any disrespect.

carang · 16-01-2011, 05:22 PM

LOL! you are going to learn cantonese within the year???? That is hilarious! i've been here 16 years AND am married to a local and i have the cantonese of a kindergarten child! i work hard at it but realise that it is likely i'll never be fluent. as for becoming literate in chinese... that will take a lifetime to master.

unles you devote yourself entirely to learning cantonese over the next 3-5 years, you will NEVER master it to the point that it would be worth it for a local company to hire you.

dfalkenstein · 16-01-2011, 05:29 PM

I never said expertly, but I am sure I could learn a pretty decent amount within a year, I learned how to read and write fluent Spanish within 2 months. (currently hold dual citizenships for the U.S and El Salvador). Unless of course it is necessary for me to master Cantonese to live and work In HK

bsh · 16-01-2011, 05:45 PM

OP, unless you're already hugely successful and renowned in your field of expertise, what the others are saying is correct. It would be a very slim of you being hired by a company.

Second thing, HK is a very judgemental place, especially on appearance. Unless you're tough enough to face being overtly stared at without losing your rag, HK may not be the best place to set up a new life.

dfalkenstein · 16-01-2011, 05:53 PM

I really do see where you guys are all coming from and really am asking these questions in order to bring about as much information on the topic as possible so again sorry for rubbing you guys the wrong way. Now the main issue is my age and experience on paper will make it quite difficult to get the visa. I am quite used to being overtly stared at as Los Angeles is very similar, I even get questions regarding my appearance but it has never once affected me. I was asking if the certifications i mentioned would be enough to cover my lack of a degree since those are all very sought after certifications especially the CISSP.

JaredHK · 16-01-2011, 06:06 PM

@OP
Instead of asking advice from total strangers on a public forum why don't you make a trip to HK for a few weeks and try seeking employment or a work visa. Once here you can figure out for yourself what the situation is in HK and if you would ever be able to fit and/or find employment here.

dfalkenstein · 16-01-2011, 06:10 PM

Well because I came up with the idea today and have been reading into it. Thank you all for your contributions and help, and i really am sorry for the tiff, i really enjoyed everyones input.

Morrison · 16-01-2011, 06:12 PM

Originally Posted by jimbo:

................

Capital Investment Visa is your next possible option do a search on that here and you need to bring at least 1 million u.s to the table. ............

Posted via Mobile Device

I thought it's HK$ 10 million now ( up from 6.5 million last year)
That would be US$ 1.29 million ( in face of that any money exchange will happily
offer 7.78 as exchange rate , which I applied here )
investment into real estate allowed but not counted anymore......

gilleshk · 16-01-2011, 06:20 PM

The problem is that there are no definite answers to your questions. Of course technical certifications would be an advantage just like a degree and a fluency in cantonese. The problem you are facing is that there may be plenty of suitable local candidates to fill the kind of position you want. You'd be better off working for a large international organization in the US for a couple of years to get experience and then get a transfer or have head hunter chase you if you're good.

I know a 25 year old that just graduated with a Master's in IT from HKU and he's working customer service at PCCW for a couple of thousand US a month. He possibly doesn't have your IT skills but he speaks and read chinese and English fluently and he didn't need to get a visa.

Another possible route you could try is to check International Schools that are looking for IT assistants/technicians. Your English language skills could in this case be the advantage you need however, the pay remains quite low but if you need a foot in the door, your only hope is to find organizations that want native levels of english which is increasingly difficult to find in local HK people.

dansande · 16-01-2011, 06:33 PM

Based on my own experience, obtaining an employment visa is a Herculean, but not impossible task. You will just need to come here and try to find a company willing to sponsor you. If you can convince them you are a true IT genius they could make the case to Immigration that your skills are unique. In my experience, it is not always necessary for the sponsor to prove to a scientific certainty that no local can do your job. The first time I applied for a visa my employer merely asserted this without a scrap of evidence. I am a native English teacher. I have no idea what people with actual experience in your field would tell you.
Getting the visa will also require a lot of persistence and the ability to 'not take no for an answer'. I don't think that will be a problem in your case, right?