[mona_124]

A question about work visa's here...i have started working as an English teacher for a month now...although my visa is still in process (i know that's not legal but it worked fine so far), my question is , although my visa will soon be done, i'd actually llike to change jobs....do i wait untill i get my visa? or should i go now?

And if i should wait to get the visa first, can't the school deport me or something since they are sponsoring me? which route is best?

[KnowItAll]

Wait until you get your visa. Once you're approved, you can switch fairly easily. If you switch before its approved, you will have to restart the process.

[carang]

but your new employer will have to in effect sponsor the change....

[philippe]

Originally Posted by mona_124

A question about work visa's here...i have started working as an English teacher for a month now...although my visa is still in process (i know that's not legal but it worked fine so far), my question is , although my visa will soon be done, i'd actually llike to change jobs....do i wait untill i get my visa? or should i go now?

And if I should wait to get the visa first, can't the school deport me or something since they are sponsoring me? which route is best?

Things may have changed but when I was waiting for my very first working visa (that took several months because the company hiring me was small and we did not know better) I was approached and signed for a job in a major US Company. They (US Company) told me then to go to cancel the first application (I did that) and got me a visa in exactly 5 weeks. AFAIK, if you change job now or after it is still going to take roughly 5 weeks because the immigration is going to start to study your case all over again.

Good Luck!

[mona_124]

Ahh i see!...so either way it's the same?...couldnt u possibly be working for the second job while the visa is being transferred?

And can one be sure that the current employer will transfer my visa, couldnt he/she decide not to, since they have paid for it?


Thanks again for the replies!

[KnowItAll]

>> And can one be sure that the current employer will transfer my visa,
>> couldnt he/she decide not to, since they have paid for it?

Does your employment contract say anything about you owing them processing fees if you quit before a certain date?

[mona_124]

hmm...shoot!!..ill have to check!

[PDLM]

But the whole employment contract is illegal if she is working without a visa, so essentially all they could do is withhold money they haven't paid you yet.

[mona_124]

okay, so here it is...cotract says:

The employee may terminate this agreement by giving the employer a two month notice in advance (thats good enough!), The employee agrees to discontinue residence in HK under the visa status sponsored by xxxx within fourteen days of completion of this employment.

so....? does it mean what i think it mean!

[carang]

the employer doesn't transfer the visa. they inform immig that you no longer work for thema nd therefore their sponsorship of your visa application is no longer valid.

this is why essentially, your new employer starts the whole process over again. your new employer will have to prove the same things that your current employer had to prove in order for the application to be successful.

the other thing is... you ARE NOT legalliy allowed to work while your application is being processed. so, no you cannot work for the new company while you wait.