CUHK - HRO - Living and Working in HK

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Hong Kong is a modern and vibrant city, and home to over seven million people of diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Strategically located in the Asia-Pacific region, Hong Kong functions as an international gateway for business, people and goods, as well as an important window into the Chinese Mainland. Being “Asia’s World City”, Hong Kong is reputed for the society’s openness and plurality, the citizens’ adaptability and resilience, its Government’s high degree of autonomy, its judiciary’s independence, its foundations in rule of law and freedom of speech, its burgeoning economy characterized by free trade, low taxation, political stability and efficient financial structure, as well as its rich East-meets-West cultural landscape, proximity to picturesque countryside, and so on.

As a leading international commercial center and financial hub, Hong Kong is never short on career opportunities for everyone who comes and cares to look around, whether in the academe, multinational corporations, or other business sectors. Both English and Chinese are the official languages. English is widely used in the Government, higher education institutions, as well as the legal, professional and business sectors. Academic freedom and institutional autonomy is explicitly protected by the Basic Law. Foreigners will find it an easy place to settle into, blessed with appreciable freedom on extensive fronts from academic research, literary and artistic creation to other pursuits.

Visa

Hong Kong has an open and liberal immigration regime. We welcome people with special knowledge, skills or experience who plan to pursue their career aspirations in this lively city. There are a number of avenues for people of different backgrounds to apply for and obtain permission for staying and holding employment prior to arrival in Hong Kong
The University will offer assistance to prospective appointees in applying for such permission for working at the University. The appointee can further act as the sponsor for his/her spouse and/or dependent children (unmarried and aged below 18) to apply for dependent visa(s) if they will accompany him/her to reside in Hong Kong. Holders of a dependent visa are normally permitted to work and study in Hong Kong. Detailed information is available at the website of the Immigration Department of the Hong Kong SAR Government.

Taxation

Hong Kong follows a simple, low-rate tax system. Only income derived in Hong Kong is subject to taxation. Salaries tax on earnings from employment at progressive rates is capped at a maximum flat rate of 15%. Further information can be found at the website of the Inland Revenue Department of the Hong Kong SAR Government.

Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF)

Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) is an employment-based retirement protection system in Hong Kong. An eligible appointee who is aged between 18 and 65 is required by law to enroll in the Mandatory Provident Fund Scheme arranged by the University (hereinafter ‘the MPF Scheme’), unless he/she is an exempt person under the relevant law.

Both the employee and the employer will make periodic mandatory contributions (calculated at 5% of the employee’s relevant income, currently capped at HK$1,500 per month) to an MPF scheme. The appointee’s mandatory contributions will be directly drawn from his/her payroll and paid to the MPF Scheme trustee at scheduled intervals.

Accommodation

On-campus Accommodation
Eligible appointees may apply for on-campus accommodation ranging from studio flats to family-style suites.

Off-campus Housing
There are wide-ranging choices of rented accommodation (in various sizes and conditions) within convenient commuting distance from the University campus. For initial settling in, new staff members quite often start with renting (as against buying) a private residential property. It is worth the while to learn a bit more about the tenancy practice in Hong Kong, and then plan to search for a flat on one’s own efforts or through engagement of a licensed estate agent. Renting a serviced apartment is another option affording appreciable flexibility (with the lease period) and convenience (commonly in accessible locations with comprehensive services/facilities). Some of the relevant factors to consider before signing a tenancy agreement include: the lease period, amounts of deposit and rental, whether furniture and electrical appliances are provided, responsibility for estate management fees/utility charges, maintenance and repairs, etc. There are abundant tips for consumers about property transactions (e.g. commission charged by estate agents). Some general information is also provided GovHK.

Language support for non-Chinese speakers

Putonghua (Mandarin), Cantonese and Chinese Reading courses for non-Chinese speakers are available at a discounted rate for University staff and their dependent family members. Further information is available at Yale-China Chinese Language Center.

Children's Education

Education for non-Chinese-speaking children is mainly provided through more than 50 international schools which generally teach the curricula of their founding countries or internationally recognized programmes such as the International Baccalaureate (IB). The USA, Canadian, UK, French, German-Swiss, Australian, Singaporean and a number of other national curricula are represented. Please look up more general information on kindergarten, primary and secondary education or specifically on international schools in Hong Kong.

Domestic Helpers

In Hong Kong, it is rather common to enlist the services of a foreign live-in domestic helper or part-time local domestic helpers to help with housework such as cooking and cleaning. General information is available at GovHK.

Transportation

Hong Kong has a well-developed public transport network comprising the Mass Transit Railway (MTR), extensive bus routes, minibuses, trams and ferries. The University is right at a major station (the University Station) of MTR. Details can be checked at GovHK.

Banking and HK Currency

Hong Kong is an international banking and financial center with a well-established banking system that provides comprehensive and convenient banking services. Legal tender is the Hong Kong dollar (HK$), which is pegged to the US Dollar at a rate of US$1=HK$7.8 with slight upward and downward movements.