Quick answer: Global English graduate Neil moved to Hong Kong after taking a 120-hour TESOL course, and found teaching work relatively easy to come by - though school posts with regular hours take more effort to land than education-centre roles. His advice for new teachers: prepare accommodation, banking and a job before you leave home, learn a few words of Cantonese, and get stuck into school life from day one. Here's his experience of teaching English in Hong Kong.
Neil's adventure in Hong Kong started after he took a 120-hour TESOL course with Global English TESOL. Here he talks about his TEFL journey so far and shares his advice for anyone thinking of following in his footsteps. Considering the NET Scheme route yourself? See our 6-step guide to the EDB NET Scheme.
How did Neil get started teaching in Hong Kong?
My journey started after I graduated from university in England. I worked in a church, where I gained experience teaching and working with young people. I married a lady from Hong Kong and we felt it would be good to live there for a while to get to know my wife's family and culture, so around November 2018 we decided to move over for the next academic year.
It seems relatively easy to get work teaching English in Hong Kong. There's more work - and more money - in an education centre, but I wanted a school for the experience and regular hours. Those posts are harder to find, but I was fortunate to secure one at a secondary school in the north, near the border with China. I signed up with an agency who got me two interviews, and I accepted the second.
What is the teaching role and cost of living like?
My teaching role is heavy. Like many schools, mine expects a lot of extracurricular activity. I teach fourteen 80-minute speaking classes a week, covering year 8, 9 and 12 in the UK system. The level is very low and it's quite a challenge, but one I'm enjoying.
Living costs are a bit cheaper than the UK- rent being the exception, which is very high. My teacher's wage is good and means we can live comfortably (my wife has a part-time job). We live in the New Territories in the north, which is much cheaper than the bright lights of Hong Kong Island. If you're planning your own move, check the current UK foreign travel advice for Hong Kong.
What advice does Neil have for new Hong Kong teachers?
I love Hong Kong - the food is great and the people are friendly. Everything is convenient, there's lots to do and plenty of ways to meet people. One of the biggest challenges is that in school everything - conversations, staff meetings - is in Cantonese, so it's easy to miss things. Sometimes the students know more than me!
Here's what I'd advise other new Hong Kong teachers. First, find out as much as you can when you start - learn colleagues' names, learn about the school, ask lots of questions. Second, prepare before you leave home: sort out accommodation, a bank account and a job. Third, learn a bit of the language; even a few words are really appreciated and show people you care about their culture - and you'll be surprised by the friends you make.
Teaching in Hong Kong FAQs
Do you need a TEFL qualification to teach English in Hong Kong?
For reputable school posts and especially for the government NET Scheme, yes - you'll need an accredited TEFL/TESOL qualification the EDB recognises, plus a degree. Neil took a 120-hour course before moving. Global English's 120-hour course is designed with Hong Kong applicants in mind.
Is it easy to find teaching work in Hong Kong?
Education-centre work is relatively easy to find and can pay well, while mainstream school posts with regular hours are more competitive. Many teachers start through an agency, as Neil did, before moving into a school or applying for the NET Scheme. Being qualified and prepared before you arrive makes a big difference.
What's next? See the 120-hour Teach Hong Kong programme designed for prospective NET Scheme applicants, add the 10-hour NET teaching practice, and read another graduate's story in I teach English in Hong Kong or our ten FAQs on becoming a NET.