Standard american living in hong kong? (potentially) (cost, country, jobs)

[VirtualErik]

So i'm an average american, i'm 34 years old, single, no kids or pets or anything like that.
I make about 25k a year with an associates degree in computers. Good variable experience in multiple fields ranging from industrial, lab tech, to computer tech and more.

I don't speak any of the native language spoken in Hong kong but English is my native language, so i'm wondering for someone like me is it difficult to find work and get settled there?

[Tiger Beer]

Originally Posted by VirtualErik

So i'm an average american, i'm 34 years old, single, no kids or pets or anything like that.
I make about 25k a year with an associates degree in computers. Good variable experience in multiple fields ranging from industrial, lab tech, to computer tech and more.

I don't speak any of the native language spoken in Hong kong but English is my native language, so i'm wondering for someone like me is it difficult to find work and get settled there?

Are you being offered a job? Or are you just considering going to Hong Kong 'on a whim'?

If you're being offered a job, than they'll do the work visa and everything, and you'll be fine. However, that is a very low pay for living in Hong Kong.

If you are just planning to go 'on a whim'. Than you should re-think it. You need a work visa to live and work in Hong Kong. If you were to just come and look at the newspaper, you'll see some jobs postings in English, but they generally almost always want you to be bilingual with Cantonese and/or Mandarin (in addition to English, if it's posted in an English newspapers).

There are a few niches for 'Only ENGLISH speakers', but they are mostly for teaching English (not paid all that well), or upper management types with an office in Hong Kong with the big fat expat bank account - most likely you'd need to have an MBA and be transferred from your home country for those jobs.

[silverkris]

In order to get a work visa, you will need to have a skill set that isn't available or hard to find in a local person (this is true for nearly all countries). I don't see something that stands out in your experience/background which can't be filled by a HK local.

Also, Hong Kong has an incredibly high cost of living (for housing). Real estate speculation is a national pastime there.

[Tomboy-]

Those that can make it to HK with attractive packages including high pay, decent housing, private hospital medical insurance and international school fees for kids are mostly already in the same company or industry before transferring to HK, the industry being mostly investment banking.

Other parts of Asia are mostly easier than HK for a foreigner looking for English teacher jobs. The pay is mostly less attractive than HK .