Moving to HK from US with family of 3

[mvizcarra]

I'm in the process of receiving a job offer in Hong Kong to manage a food and beverage operation. For a family of 3 (wife and 5 year old) what kind of salary, benefits package and relocation assistance should I be shooting for? What other variables like health care, schooling, Visas, etc. should I consider before taking such a huge leap? Also, my wife is a makeup artist for MAC Cosmetics. Would it be difficult for her to find work? Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks!

[kathinhk]

Originally Posted by mvizcarra

I'm in the process of receiving a job offer in Hong Kong to manage a food and beverage operation. For a family of 3 (wife and 5 year old) what kind of salary, benefits package and relocation assistance should I be shooting for? What other variables like health care, schooling, Visas, etc. should I consider before taking such a huge leap? Also, my wife is a makeup artist for MAC Cosmetics. Would it be difficult for her to find work? Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks!

We've lived in HK for 20 years and love it here. But, not everyone does. Have you visited with your family? The summer is very hot and humid and the winters cold - mainly because homes are not well heated. Housing and international schooling is extremely expensive.. so if you can get an expat contract (i.e. all included) that is a benefit. If you don't mind waiting a while at local clinics, the hospital authority services are great. You pay a small amount at the clinic and for a night in hospital. But, of course, medical insurance means you will be attended to in "hotel - like" private hospitals - but beware.... for many extremely serious medical conditions you will end up in a better equipped government hospital anyway. Your company sponsors you and will get you an entry visa. After seven years here you can apply to be a permanent resident and can work anywhere you like. Your wife can work on a dependent visa ... but most jobs in cosmetics are taken by girls who speak Chinese and English.... however.... beauty salons for expat customers are popular and pricey. We work on local contracts ..... so pay all our own expenses.. homeschool our kids and live in modest accommodation. Still love it here!!

[mvizcarra]

Originally Posted by kathinhk

We've lived in HK for 20 years and love it here. But, not everyone does. Have you visited with your family? The summer is very hot and humid and the winters cold - mainly because homes are not well heated. Housing and international schooling is extremely expensive.. so if you can get an expat contract (i.e. all included) that is a benefit. If you don't mind waiting a while at local clinics, the hospital authority services are great. You pay a small amount at the clinic and for a night in hospital. But, of course, medical insurance means you will be attended to in "hotel - like" private hospitals - but beware.... for many extremely serious medical conditions you will end up in a better equipped government hospital anyway. Your company sponsors you and will get you an entry visa. After seven years here you can apply to be a permanent resident and can work anywhere you like. Your wife can work on a dependent visa ... but most jobs in cosmetics are taken by girls who speak Chinese and English.... however.... beauty salons for expat customers are popular and pricey. We work on local contracts ..... so pay all our own expenses.. homeschool our kids and live in modest accommodation. Still love it here!!

Yeah, I've been reading that international schooling is very expensive. Are expat children not allowed to attend the public schools? Or if so, how does that work? I've also read that the air quality is pretty bad. For someone living in HK for 20 years now you're probably tired of hearing that but I was just wondering if it's something I should be concerned about especially for my son.

Thank you so much for all of your helpful advice

[kathinhk]

Originally Posted by mvizcarra

Yeah, I've been reading that international schooling is very expensive. Are expat children not allowed to attend the public schools? Or if so, how does that work? I've also read that the air quality is pretty bad. For someone living in HK for 20 years now you're probably tired of hearing that but I was just wondering if it's something I should be concerned about especially for my son.

Thank you so much for all of your helpful advice

No prob. You can send your child to a local school. We tried it for a few years. They have to pick up Chinese quite quickly to survive... some kids are better at that than others. There is a lot of homework and more pressure on the kids here than in the West. We gave up because we are teachers and our kids were struggling. Air pollution is a problem (everywhere probably) but we live on an outlying island where the air is lovely!! (Lantau Island) Our place is a bit rural and rough around the edges... but you can go for Discovery Bay which is a lot more 'expat'.

[Vlad]

Hello, pls tell me read a lot about polluted air in HK is it really so bad. i mean if work tehre for 3 years your health will get worser?? also people saying about fish that it has dangerous chemics.

do anyone had an experience of wife being pregnant in HK ??

[kathinhk]

Originally Posted by Vlad

Hello, pls tell me read a lot about polluted air in HK is it really so bad. i mean if work tehre for 3 years your health will get worser?? also people saying about fish that it has dangerous chemics.

do anyone had an experience of wife being pregnant in HK ??

Pollution is bad everywhere.... I have brought up two children in HK.. neither has skin or breathing problems... don't live in the middle of the city or Tung Chung. Live among trees and mountains... should be fine

[Vlad]

to katethink.
thx
was planning to live in Discovery Bay. any colour on this.
still unclear about food. as i understood mainly evrbdy not buying local produced food.

[Vlad]

Is there any feeling that foreigners are treated badly in HK?

[kathinhk]

Originally Posted by Vlad

Is there any feeling that foreigners are treated badly in HK?

NO!

[mamamaven]

Do get your head around the schooling - it may be a dealbreaker. I work with parents to place their children and your child being 5 means that it's more difficult to place in an intl school. For local school, youll need to apply this Sept to start Sept 2013.

Ask if the company has a corporate debenture and whether they'll subside school fees at all.