Work In Hong Kong – Life of foreign workers in Hong Kong
Hong Kong is an ideal place for the people who want to live and work abroad. High income is main bright aspect of working in Hong Kong. Hong Kong labor laws are very protective for foreign workers. Accommodation in Hong Kong has wide range from cheaper to most expensive as someone can afford. However, Hong Kong is good place to enjoy life in real meanings and make the career bright. Employers have to follow the labor laws and Hong Kong government is always ready to listen the complaints of employees and helping them. So, Hong Kong provide fully safe environment to workers. The minimum salary in Hong Kong which is given to foreign workers is 7000 Hong Kong Dollars but it is not fixed. It depends upon the contract between company and employee. This income estimate is only for the workers who come to Hong Kong on employment. Hong Kong local citizens or foreigners who have Hong Kong residence visa they earn more than 25000 HKD per month by doing jobs. For the foreigners who want to be in Hong Kong on employment visa, salary may depend upon their work type, position, job nature etc.
Hong Kong General Employment Visa:
There is no quota to apply for Hong Kong general employment visa. To apply this visa, applicant need to arrange a job contract from a Hong Kong company. Company have to prove to immigration that selected foreign worker is most suitable for this job. There is no specific educational requirement for this job but have to show qualification for the post for what candidate is selected. Normally Hong Kong employer apply this visa on the behalf of applicant. After issuing visa, it is sent to applicant so that he may travel to Hon Kong. Applicant can apply for a temporary Hong Kong id card after getting into Hong Kong. Visa duration depends upon the period mentioned in job contract. This visa is renewable but every time need to extend the contract with employer to renew the visa. Employment visa holder can change the employer. If employer terminate the worker, worker has right to live in Hong Kong as long as his visa is valid. He can find new employer and can extend his work visa. General employment visa holder can bring his spouse, children dependents to Hong Kong, they have right to live, work and study in Hong Kong like local citizens. After living 7 years in Hong Kong, General employment visa holder can apply for Hong Kong permanent residence/permanent ID card too. It is normally called Right of abode. This is the best visa to make settlement in Hong Kong. At the end of this post, I will share some ways to find jobs in Hong Kong from outside Hong Kong. It takes 4 weeks to issue general employment visa. Visa fee is 190$ HK.
Imported Workers Visa:
This visa is almost same Hong Kong general employment visa because job offer/job contract from Hong Kong employer is also needed for this visa and employer apply this visa for foreign workers. But this visa is not as good as general employment visa. Applicant can apply for a temporary Hong Kong id card after getting into Hong Kong. Imported worker visa holder cannot sponsor his dependents. Imported worker cannot apply for permanent residence until he converts his visa to general employment visa. Normally driver type visa is applied as imported workers. Many people from India, Philippines, Singapore and Malaysia are working on imported worker visa in Hong Kong. Normally it takes 6 weeks to grant a visa.
Please note: To apply for General employment visa or imported worker visa, Hong Kong employer must have a registered company/business organization/some other type of registered organization.
Foreign Domestic Helpers:
Normally female workers are imported on domestic helper visa. This visa holder salary is very low around 4000 Hong Kong dollars but they are offered free accommodation and free food from the employer. Mostly domestic helpers come from Philippines and Indonesia, some come from Bangladesh and India too. Indonesian girls do certification in Chinese language before leaving for Hong Kong, so people who need a maid Chinese speaking they prefer Indonesian domestic helper for household work. And people who need an English speaking maid they demand from Philippines because girls from Philippines are good in English speaking. This visa is not hard to apply. Employer do not need to have a registered business or company. Rather he must have enough money to pay the salary to domestic helper. Domestic helpers cannot apply for Hong Kong permanent residence. However they can change their visa into other type of visa through some process.
Marriage Visa:
Person who marries a Hong Kong citizen whether in Hong Kong or outside Hong Kong can apply for Hong Kong long term residence visa. It takes many months to issue this visa to applicant. Sometimes it takes more than a year. Normally this visa issued for a period of 1 year first time and it is extendable. Applicant can apply for a temporary Hong Kong id card after this visa. This visa allows applicant to live and work anywhere in Hong Kong. It is like a temporary residence permit because it need to renew every time. if marriage is divorced, applicant cannot renew this visa. After living 7 years on this visa, applicant can apply for Hong Kong permanent residence/Hong Kong permanent Id car or right of abode. After getting Permanent id card if marriage is broken it is no problem. It won’t affect id card.
Asylum Seekers in Hong Kong:
There are more than 11000 asylum seekers in Hong Kong. Hong Kong law never allows work to asylum seekers. If any asylum seeker is caught working, there is a punishment of 1 year in Jail for him. However, asylum seekers are still working in Hong Kong secretly. Some of asylum seekers are using fake forged id cards (made in china illegally) to find the work. In this case if any asylum seeker is caught red handed working on fake documents, the jail punishment will increase up to 18 months. Hong Kong is not a party to international Geneva convention for refugees. So it has strict laws for asylum seekers. Anti-asylum seekers laws never pass the asylum case and never allow refugees to work. However, asylum seekers are also earning good money in Hong Kong ranging from 5000 HKD to 30000 HKD. But working in Hong Kong as an asylum seeker is totally illegal and highly risky. Hong Kong Government provide some help to refugees for accommodation and food. Medical is totally free for asylum seekers. Hong Kong social welfare department pays 1800 Hong Kong dollar as room rent to land owner, not to asylum seeker. It also give 200 to 300 HKD cash to asylum seeker every month. Shopping vouchers worth 1200 HKD are also given to asylum seekers. But this is really insufficient in Hong Kong. No permission to work is making asylum seeker beggars and some find way in drugs selling, some commits other crimes to find escape from beggary.
Taking asylum in Hong Kong is not a problem, any person from anywhere, on any visa or without visa can apply asylum in Hong Kong, only need to say that I don’t want to go back. They will ask reason and then register case. But now a days, Hong Kong immigration is assessing the case on fast track. More and more cases are being rejected. It looks that Hong Kong immigration department wants Hong Kong free of asylum seekers. It making more problems for asylum seekers. So better to find shelter in other country. Never come to Hong Kong for asylum or refugee purpose.
How to find Jobs in Hong Kong from Outside Hong Kong:
There are some online recruitment agencies where jobs in Hong Kong can be found. Applicant can send his CV/resume to employer or company through these agencies. if cv is selected, employer will apply visa for applicant. But it is not easy to get selected because of huge competition. However, following recruitment agencies are best place to try your luck.
Where to search a Job in Hong Kong from Pakistan?
http://jobs.asiaxpat.com
http://www1.jobs.gov.hk/1/0/WebForm/default.aspx
https://www.cpjobs.com/hk/
https://www.careerjet.hk
https://www.indeed.hk
https://www.linkedin.com
https://hk.jobsdb.com/hk
http://www.monster.com.hk
https://www.learn4good.com/jobs/language/english/list/country/hong_kong/
https://www.angloinfo.com/how-to/hong-kong/working/employment/finding-a-job
I am not involved in any crime. My dream is to go to Canada. I always want to do something in life. I am living a very hard life, sir. Please help read my dream.