Moving to HK - Salary Negotiation Help

[HK_Katherine]

Any relocation or bonus or whatever is ... depends on the budget ! This budget would have been worked out long ago... if you are asking for stuff that is "not" budgeted, then expect the answer to be No.

Not necessarily, it all depends on how the company operates.

[LifeInHK]

Not necessarily, it all depends on how the company operates.

Ah... good point! It depends on how the BOSS (Dir of Marketing) operates.

[Mat]

I know that the 38k per month is a very good salary and that I will be able to live comfortably in HK and although the cost to relocate is small when looking at the long term and overall picture, it is still a substantial amount of money for me to pay. The job is definitely a step in the right direction, but like I said previously it is a considerable amount of money to spend.

What considerable amount?

One air ticket, then what - a week or two in a cheap hotel if comes to worst and then 2 month deposit (I assume you will get back your deposit wherever you come from so that should help too..)?

At 25 I assume you are briging two suitcases and that's pretty much it....

First month will be tight till you get your first salary, then it's la Dolce Vita...

[turtlebeach]

I'm actually a woman, but thank you.

"Coughing up the money" that I don't have to pay for my relocation is not an option. As previously stated I do have some savings but I'm not sure if that will be enough to cover the relocation. I would hate to arrive in HK just to find out that I do not have enough money to hold me over until my first paycheck. I've worked hard over the last 6 years to finance my education and support myself so taking this position would mean that some of my hard work has paid off.

Thanks for your comments

Just throwing this out there, I might get flamed for saying it. But if you have a big enough credit line in one of your credit card, it's not so un-doable. Only need USD $5000 or so. You can charge your flight and hotel stay on your credit card which you don't have to repay for 30 days. After 30 days you would have received your first paycheck and should have enough money to pay your credit card off.

My opinion is that you should take the job even without a relocation package. You said it yourself, the pay is much higher than currently, the job is in the right direction and you'll get invaluable experience. The only thing is the moving expense which you don't have enough to cover.

[kimwy66]

For the rent deposit, some companies do offer a pay-loan, although obviously this is an expat thing. My husband's company did, repayable over 6 months I think. We didn't need it, but we took it anyway, the other half couldn't resist an interest-free loan.

This was on top of $72,000 relocation, plus airfares, plus 1 months accommodation and $200 daily allowance per person. Senior position though, but still just the airfare alone would be nice in your case.

[LifeInHK]

For the rent deposit, some companies do offer a pay-loan, although obviously this is an expat thing. My husband's company did, repayable over 6 months I think. We didn't need it, but we took it anyway, the other half couldn't resist an interest-free loan.

This was on top of $72,000 relocation, plus airfares, plus 1 months accommodation and $200 daily allowance per person. Senior position though, but still just the airfare alone would be nice in your case.

Senior position.... That is the key... the OP would have been a "middle-to-junior manager"... so no relocation would be offered.

Before I got laidoff, had a team-mate in the UK office looking to transfer to HK last years, he was offered similar package, and our VP was kind enough to dig deep for 3 weeks accommodation because it was internal-transfer, but could not get the relocation as UK guy was considered "not-senior-enough" by HR. Sadly he came back and insisted on relocation, which caused the Hong Kong HR to pushback and VP then rescinded the whole offer, and instead hired another new external guy who moved from Sydney to HK. Sydney guy got 2 weeks accommodation and nothing else.

So OP, you would need to think long and hard whether you really want to come to HK, at your own expense.

[kimwy66]

So OP, you would need to think long and hard whether you really want to come to HK, at your own expense.

My view on that is that the company are applying for a visa on the basis that the skills they require are not available in Hong Kong.So the least they can do, seeing as they need these skills, is pay to have them brought to HK. An airfare isn't that much to a company compared to having to train someone up or pay them to acquire the skills.

[Claudiau120]

Good news!

After nearly month of talking with both HR and the Director of Marketing, I've officially signed my contact to come to HK! It looks like there were communication issues between the DoM and Senior Management with the type of contract that was initially discussed vs the one that I actually received. Rather than getting a relocation package the company is giving me a pretty hefty signing bonus, which is great and I am aware that this bonus will be taxed.

Any who, thank you all for your comments and words of encouragement! Looks like I'll be in HK by the end of the summer, given my visa gets approved.

[LifeInHK]

Claudiau,
WELLCOME to hk! Glad things have worked out.

Good news!

After nearly month of talking with both HR and the Director of Marketing, I've officially signed my contact to come to HK! It looks like there were communication issues between the DoM and Senior Management with the type of contract that was initially discussed vs the one that I actually received. Rather than getting a relocation package the company is giving me a pretty hefty signing bonus, which is great and I am aware that this bonus will be taxed.

Any who, thank you all for your comments and words of encouragement! Looks like I'll be in HK by the end of the summer, given my visa gets approved.