Originally Posted by M Khan:
It may be expensive compared to courses in other territories, but considering rental costs in central Hong Kong (not to mention salaries), 25k is probably not wildly unrealistic. I would agree with others, though, that if you can get on a recognised Cambridge CELTA or Trinity CertTESOL course in a less expensive city, then do so.
Otherwise, for those already living in HK (and who haven't got the opportunity to spend a month studying in another country, for whatever reason), then I would say that the 25k course will more than pay for itself in the end. The assertion that pretty much any foreigner can walk into a teaching job in HK is, to put it mildly, lacking in a few critical details :
Without a degree and at least a certificate-level ESL qualification, the majority of English teaching jobs will be closed to you. Very few (if any) schools will offer teaching positions to unqualified foreigners, regardless of their immigration status, so you can forget about regular school hours, regular teacher pay and regular school holidays.
Without even a basic ESL qualification, you're going to left with kindergartens and training centres. There are some very decent examples of each, and they can offer good rates of pay, reasonable working hours, visa sponsorship and generous holidays. Plenty don't, however, and some are out-right scams. Again, the better ones will be looking for suitably qualified and experienced educators, and without a qualification, your choices of kindergartens and training centres will likely be limited to those that pay very little and require long hours with evening and weekend work.
The Trinity CertTESOL course, coupled with a degree, should be enough to get you into a respectable teaching establishment, and may be enough to get you into the Government (primary) NET scheme. If you're looking to do English teaching only as an interim measure, then I guess a 25k course MAY be a bit steep. If, however, you're looking for an in-road into teaching, or if you're looking to make more of a career of ESL, or if you just want a fall-back qualification for whenever you find yourself in a new country or for when the economy takes another nose-dive, then even at 25k I'd be prepared to chalk up the course as an investment.
All that having been said, IF your immigration status does not restrict your right to work, then there may be easier jobs to get than teaching. Given that this thread is over two years old, however, I suspect the OP has discovered all this already.