Country info and advice - Hong Kong
Your questions answered about teaching English in Hong Kong, from teachers who have been there and done it!
Yes.
Private language schools do not always require a TEFL qualification or experience, but such jobs are few and far between and attract a lower salary.
For a work visa you need a degree and a letter of sponsorship from your prospecetive employer. The process can take up to a month and involves a small processing fee, usually paid for by the teacher.
All over Hong Kong.
The English language newspaper the South China Morning Post list English teaching jobs, including NET scheme jobs. larger schools may advertise jobs on the internet, but visiting schools with your CV is the best way for smaller schools.
Other answers:
I only know of two schools out of the dozens in Hanoi that employ teachers prior to their arrival in Vietnam.
Work is available year round at language schools, but a lot of recruitment is done in May and June for summer programs and for the next school year.
15,000-30,000 HKD a month in language schools, 300-500 HKD an hour for private tutoring, and up to 50,000 HKD for NET scheme jobs plus a housing allowance.
In language schools, 20-30 hours a week, mostly in the evnings and at weekends. There are a lot of after-school classes for childre, as well as business English.
Example answer:
There are a lot of opportunities to teach children privately. A lot of that kind of work comes through word of mouth contacts once you start teaching at a school. Only people with permanent residence status in Hong Kong advertise themselves as private tutors because people on a work visa shouldn’t be doing private work on the side according to the restrictions of their contracts.
| Typical cost | |
| a cup of coffee | 18-30 HKD |
| a beer | 30-50 HKD |
| a cinema ticket | 60-80 HKD |
| a meal in an average restaurant | 50-100 HKD |
| a month’s rent | 10,000-15,000 HKD for a one-bedroom apartment of 300 to 500 square feet, depending on the area |
| a ferry to the outer islands | 20 HKD one-way |
| a bus ticket | 3-10 HKD |
50% of respondents in our survey thought that the cost of living is quite low compared to salary; 50% thought it is quite high.
By bus and MTR.
Internet is very easy to install at home and wifi is available everywhere, even on public transport.
Schools do not often help with this. Websites such as AsiaXpat have good classified listings.
Working in Hong Kong is an enjoyable experience overall. The students are pleasant and better behaved than in western Europe. They are eager to learn and have a great sense of humour. Many youngsters have a basic grasp of English. There are many expats in Hong Kong and British/Irish pubs and bars. The food is great but if you go to a nice restaurant expect to pay western prices. They have a great underground rail system the MTR which is cheap, punctual and popular. Taxis are also very cheap for short hops. Rent can be high though due to the lack of flat land. Expect to be in a 30 storey apartment building unless you’ve got money. Crime is very low. Best places for entertainment are WanchaI and Causeway Bay and Kowloon. Be careful of street merchants "copy rolex" and "cheap suits sir" A great place overall, Better than South Korea that’s for sure!
Learn some basic commands in Cantonese such as, sit down and be quiet if you are teaching children. This is very useful for controling large classes of children. Another word of advice is that private teaching can be very lucrative during the school terms but in the holidays you will find this dwindles as students go on holiday. Therefore it is good to have a main job and suppliment that income with private tuition. Also some of the schools don’t have air conditioning so think about this when you apply for jobs as it can get mighty hot in summer. Finally the Chinese mantra is hot and loud so if you follow these suggestions you will be on your way to a great experience.
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English language schools in Hong Kong
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