# Moving to HK from US with family of 3



## mvizcarra (Jul 16, 2012)

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!


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## kathinhk (Jul 16, 2012)

mvizcarra said:


> 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!!


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## mvizcarra (Jul 16, 2012)

kathinhk said:


> 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


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## kathinhk (Jul 16, 2012)

mvizcarra said:


> 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'.


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## Vlad (Jul 16, 2012)

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 ??


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## kathinhk (Jul 16, 2012)

Vlad said:


> 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


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## Vlad (Jul 16, 2012)

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.


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## Vlad (Jul 16, 2012)

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


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## kathinhk (Jul 16, 2012)

Vlad said:


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


NO!


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## mamamaven (Apr 10, 2012)

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.


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## Vlad (Jul 16, 2012)

my colleagues from HK said that there was a 9th grade typhoon. evrthng is OK? how it was?


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## Vlad (Jul 16, 2012)

is there any wholesale stores? like in europe metro cash and carry o r other types ?


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## kathinhk (Jul 16, 2012)

Vlad said:


> is there any wholesale stores? like in europe metro cash and carry o r other types ?


Not really... there are big supermarkets... I like Taste at Tung Chung...


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## Vlad (Jul 16, 2012)

have questions regarding air polution + radiation+ nuclear station threat. any comments regarding health and kids who lives in hk at least couple of years.

thx a lot


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## Vlad (Jul 16, 2012)

saw on bloomberg tv 2 days ago air pollution VERY HIGH DEGREE. 

HOW U THERE FEELING ?


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## kathinhk (Jul 16, 2012)

Yes, the pollution has been bad. But living out of the city helps... surrounded by mountains and trees. The nuclear power station threat was only in Japan.. not HK. If you are really worried might be best not to come to HK. But, we are all fine.


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## Vlad (Jul 16, 2012)

Kathinhk

sorry a bit paranoic


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