By Jonny Blair
Learning the English language is very important to the people of Hong Kong. As the country continues to develop, so does the need for a high level of conversational english. To keep up with economic growth of Hong Kong, there is a strong emphasis on English education from an early age.
Yes it is and in many different fields of teaching as well. One of the main reasons that there are always teaching jobs going is the turnover of staff here. Teachers come and go in Hong Kong - linger for a while and move on - some people come for a year or two to earn their money and then move on to another part of the world or another job.
Again, the answer is lots. In 3 years living in Hong Kong I have worked as an English teacher in Primary Schools, Kindergartens, Private Tutoring and at Special Summer Schools and Special Events. There are also a lot of Learning Centres here in Hong Kong - these are up and coming in and are always looking for Native English Teachers. The normal Primary School, Kindergarten and Secondary School jobs usually require you to sign a one year contract and they will also normally help sort out your work visa (as they did with me). You will be surprised at the amount of children living in Hong Kong, it's got a constantly growing population and believe me they all really want to learn English. Hong Kong aims to be a successful world city and to become that successful world business hub, English and Chinese are taught at almost every school from the age of 3, kindergartens want Native English teachers!
What about Visas?
Hong Kong pays well for English teachers, significantly more than mainland China! To give you a rough estimate (as of May 2014), Kindergartens start at around 18,000 HKD per month (That's $2,300 US Dollars a month), Primary Schools start at around 21,000 HKD per month ($2,700 US Dollars a month) and Secondary Schools considerably higher, depending on work load and experience. You can also pick up a lot of extra work part-time and freelance if you're up for it, as such I have worked in Summer Schools for 1000 HKD a day ($135 US Dollars). You will also probably receive offers to do Private Tutoring where you can relax and set your own rate, wear your own clothes, teach your own thing etc.
This gives you plenty of time to find a job and lengthen your visa! Please note that some countries can also get a Hong Kong Working Holiday Visa and a Hong Kong Working Visa is also easily attained once you have a job in Hong Kong. Once you settle here a valid Working Visa is easily negotiated (I got one after about a year - having spent time on a tourist visa and a working holiday visa). Is it easy to find a teaching job in Hong Kong?
From my personal experience yes! But I have a highly motivated work ethic to the point where I haven't been out of work except through my own choice for over 15 years, so I found it fairly easy to get a job as an English teacher in the Kong.
Basically if you show enthusiasm for the job, hunt around and be flexible you'll be fine. You might have to do a bit of travelling to work, but public transport here is fantastic so that's not an issue. In short, if you get to Hong Kong and want a job as an English teacher, you will probably get one, assuming you are proactively looking for one, confident and a happy person!
If you have made the decision to teach English in Hong Kong, along with your excitement, prepare yourself for a sometimes difficult but very rewarding experience. The opportunity to immerse yourself so fully in another culture will be an enlightening experience that may very well change your life.
Yes it is and in many different fields of teaching as well. One of the main reasons that there are always teaching jobs going is the turnover of staff here. Teachers come and go in Hong Kong - linger for a while and move on - some people come for a year or two to earn their money and then move on to another part of the world or another job.
Again, the answer is lots. In 3 years living in Hong Kong I have worked as an English teacher in Primary Schools, Kindergartens, Private Tutoring and at Special Summer Schools and Special Events. There are also a lot of Learning Centres here in Hong Kong - these are up and coming in and are always looking for Native English Teachers. The normal Primary School, Kindergarten and Secondary School jobs usually require you to sign a one year contract and they will also normally help sort out your work visa (as they did with me). You will be surprised at the amount of children living in Hong Kong, it's got a constantly growing population and believe me they all really want to learn English. Hong Kong aims to be a successful world city and to become that successful world business hub, English and Chinese are taught at almost every school from the age of 3, kindergartens want Native English teachers!
What about Visas?
Hong Kong pays well for English teachers, significantly more than mainland China! To give you a rough estimate (as of May 2014), Kindergartens start at around 18,000 HKD per month (That's $2,300 US Dollars a month), Primary Schools start at around 21,000 HKD per month ($2,700 US Dollars a month) and Secondary Schools considerably higher, depending on work load and experience. You can also pick up a lot of extra work part-time and freelance if you're up for it, as such I have worked in Summer Schools for 1000 HKD a day ($135 US Dollars). You will also probably receive offers to do Private Tutoring where you can relax and set your own rate, wear your own clothes, teach your own thing etc.
This gives you plenty of time to find a job and lengthen your visa! Please note that some countries can also get a Hong Kong Working Holiday Visa and a Hong Kong Working Visa is also easily attained once you have a job in Hong Kong. Once you settle here a valid Working Visa is easily negotiated (I got one after about a year - having spent time on a tourist visa and a working holiday visa). Is it easy to find a teaching job in Hong Kong?
From my personal experience yes! But I have a highly motivated work ethic to the point where I haven't been out of work except through my own choice for over 15 years, so I found it fairly easy to get a job as an English teacher in the Kong.
Basically if you show enthusiasm for the job, hunt around and be flexible you'll be fine. You might have to do a bit of travelling to work, but public transport here is fantastic so that's not an issue. In short, if you get to Hong Kong and want a job as an English teacher, you will probably get one, assuming you are proactively looking for one, confident and a happy person!
If you have made the decision to teach English in Hong Kong, along with your excitement, prepare yourself for a sometimes difficult but very rewarding experience. The opportunity to immerse yourself so fully in another culture will be an enlightening experience that may very well change your life.
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For more reviews on how to Teach English in Hong Kong and travelling in Hong Kong check out the recent Hong Kong reviews on Backpacking in China website.