Two 24 year old girls wanting to work and live in HK for 6-12 months next year!

[Jessica13]

My flatmate and I want to move over to the HK from London early 2013. We fancy something different and exciting and we've heard great things about HK.

How easy would it be to come over and find work? Not necessarily a serious job but something quite fun but enough to cover bills etc. We do have some savings though just in case!

We want to live somewhere quite 'cool' and chic but not TOO expensive. Most importantly, we want people around the same age!

Any advice/ideas etc are most welcome!!

Thank you in advance!!

Jess

[Claire ex-ax]

To work in Hong Kong, you are required to have an appropriate visa (i.e. get a job with a company to sponsor), unless you hold certain passports and can apply for a Working Holiday Visa, are eligible for a dependent visa, or have permanent residency of Hong Kong. You can't just pop in and work; it is illegal.

Whether you can find work (which will get you a visa) depends on education, experience, language skills, etc.

Also accommodation is very expensive in Hong Kong. "Cool" places even more so.

[vmlinuz]

If you're on UK passports... you'd need a working visa, which means a real job, qualifications required, employer needs to prove to the HK government that they've tried and failed to hire a local for the position.

If you've got Australian, Canadian, German, Irish, Japanese, South Korean or New Zealand passports, you could apply for a working holiday visa - which sounds like exactly what you want, except, well, not if you're on UK passports...

Or you could do the usual, take an online English-teaching class and try to get work as unqualified teachers.

Note that in terms of living costs, HK is cheaper than London except when it comes to rent - assume you'll be paying approximately as much for rent in HK as you would in London, and it'll be a smaller flat in a high-rise with no open space around it...

[Trebor]

Although there seems to be a large number of women in their twenties with what must be a wide range of different passports working quite easily in a certain area of town.

Whether or not you would deem that 'fun' or not is probably another matter. It would certainly cover your bills though.

[/tongue firmly in cheek]

[mid_gen]

Depends where in London you're comparing HK to to be honest. The technicalities have been listed already....but in practice everyone I know that has come over to look for work has found it. Whether that is the English teaching route, or in some other profession will depend on your networking skills and employability.

I would forget 'cool and chic' accomodation, HK apartments may be many things ranging from filthy hovel to Trump-tastic bling.....but not cool :P

[miss_greentea]

HK accommodation is expensive in terms of per square feet. In saying that, it's not impossible when you compromise size and location.
I have friends working at the British Embassy, British Council, so check out jobsdb and careertimes for vacancies. Good luck!!!

[Dankleness]

ahh here we go again...

[shenwen]

job will be easy. language centres will bend over backwards for 24 year old caucasian females. maybe some bar work.

but cool and chic apartment? ha ha! And not too expensive? Stop, you're killing me....

[punchdrunk]

I dont get it, what is the fascination with Hong kong, poor living standards, homes no bigger than shoe boxes, rents ski high working long hours for really poor pay, please someone explain what is so great.

HK is a party town. Many expats make excellent salaries. The reason for coming here is to step up in pay scale not down. Expats who come and work for low wages should reconsider.

[Satay Sue]

Trollerama! ignore...