Young couple moving to HK in June, few questions.

[roflrachele]

My boyfriend and I are moving to HK in June from San Diego. We are just hoping to start a new life in HK. I will be in in-between semesters at school here in San Diego and would take up some type of program or classes at a school there eventually. We both look to work in HK however he has a business degree and I am still in the process of obtaining my degree. I only have an EMT certification, the college credits I have so far, and 6 years working in customer service. We have been trying to do research about HK in general and moving there. To my knowledge we can stay in HK for 3 months just with our US passports. If I/we find work can we transfer visa's once there? Will I be able to find work at all with what little qualifications I do have? Will we even be able to rent a place when we first arrive? Any help is highly appreciated. Thank you.

[MovingIn07]

To get a visa you need to prove that no local could do the job. So any new grad struggles with this as they has no unique skills yet. Sounds pretty dubious to me.

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[pandancake]

Also unless you are in banking/law/shipping getting a job without Cantonese/Mandarin language skills is quite difficult unless you want to teach English.

[DavidTC]

Why are you wanting to start a new life in HK even before you grraduate? Are you on the run?

[roflrachele]

Why are you wanting to start a new life in HK even before you grraduate? Are you on the run?

Not at all. I'm only at a junior college and I'm not getting anywhere very quickly. Originally I just wanted to take some time off and teach English abroad but he prefers Hong Kong over the places that I'd be able to teach without a degree.

[MovingIn07]

What makes you think you can teach without a degree here? The decent teaching jobs need qualifications - if you have nothing you may not get a visa and be careful of the language centers that claim they will give you a visa but actually don't - and then don't pay you either - and you have no redress due to having no visa.

[hello_there]

Would definitely reconsider a perminent move to HK in your situation. Your chances of securing a job that will qualify you for a work visa are very slim given that you don't meet a number of the minimum criteria (degree, professional experience, qualified to do something that local workers cannot). As a general rule, you will not get a visa for casual labor jobs, retail positions, F&B positions, etc. See the immigration web site for more details:

The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region - Immigration Department

Keep in mind that accommodation is very small and expensive in HK, especially compared to somewhere like San Diego. You would be able to rent a short term serviced apartment without a residency visa, but unless you plan on spending in excess of US$3000 a month it will be quite tiny.

If you plan on studying in Hong Kong, get accepted to a program that will qualify your for a student visa first, then make the move. You will not be able to work on a student visa however.

A visitor visa can be transferred to a work visa, but as noted your chances of qualifying for a work visa are small.

[MandM!]

Are you serious?

No degree = no chance

Illegal, high rents, no visa means you can't rent a flat. Just serviced apartments. $$$$$

[justjoe86]

What makes you think you can teach without a degree here?

She said:

"he prefers Hong Kong over the places that I'd be able to teach without a degree"

I think that means she doesn't think she can teach here without a degree.

[climber07]

Sounds like these kids will get a very expensive life lesson from this experience.