[HKNewBi]

Hello

My sister has been offered sponsorship to work in Hong Kong and has enrolled her daughter (8 years old) in a local school.

The company (KPMG) dealing with her immigration visa say that her daughter WILL NOT be eligable to attend a government school.

This sounds back to front to me. How can you get permission to move, live and work in HK but you can't use the local facilities.

Can anyone shed any light on this? Must be a misunderstanding.

Thanks

[Pekkerhead]

I don't understand, if she has already been enrolled then what is the problem?

[HKNewBi]

The school have agreed a place but are asking to see a dependancy visa for the child.

The agency processing the work permit are suggesting this won't be possible to achieve.

[Pekkerhead]

If your friend is getting a work visa, then she will be able to sponsor her kid for a dependent visa. Then the school will take her on. This will happen at any school she goes to here, not just Govt ones.

My daughter attends a local kindergarten, though it's not a govt one, and she had to get her visa before we could officially enrol her.

The ony problem I can potentially see is if she gets the visa too late for the start of the academic year (end of August?) and the school may not want to take her in too late, but I don't see why she wouldn't be able to get a dependent visa. After all she is her daughter.

I would add that we left it really late before getting a dependent visa for my children as we had been awaiting an RTL decision from the Immigration dept. In the end (2 weeks before the start of the school year) we found out they didn't qualify for RTL and we had to apply for a dependent visas there and then. The nice people at immigration took pity on us when we explained we needed to enrol my daughter at school a.s.a.p and they processed their visas in 1 day. (normally takes at least 2 weeks).

So there you go there is hope yet...

[HKNewBi]

Thanks Pekkerhead

I really didn't think it was possible to be able to work here but not let your kids get an education.

My sister is using KPMG to process this so is sort of taking their word as gospel but it really doesn't stand up to reason.

Thanks again

[HKChigger]

Originally Posted by HKNewBi

Thanks Pekkerhead

I really didn't think it was possible to be able to work here but not let your kids get an education.

My sister is using KPMG to process this so is sort of taking their word as gospel but it really doesn't stand up to reason.

Thanks again

By the sounds of it the only thing holding back the kids is the visa. So as long as the kids have a visa it should be ok. Get the visa and then apply.

[Pekkerhead]

someone (an old expat, now moved to Singapore), did tell me yesterday that as a non-PR (permanent resident), the child specifically cannot attend a Govt run school. Which, if anyone can confirm, just means the cheapest form of education (not necessaarily the best either) is out of reach to them.

But don't forget there is a plethora of local independently run schools (albeit more expensive) that she can attend, international schools, ESF etc.

However, I am still not sure about the validity of my friend's claim, the only reason I give it some stock is because he was here for ten years with 2 kids, so he should know better than me.

But I agree with chigger, your friend just needs to get her a visa a.s.a.p so the issue can be dealt with sooner rather than later.

[Pekkerhead]

ignore the above about PR, I was going beyond the point as it's not relevant here.

Just tell your friend to go to immigration and look really upset and distressed and maybe she will get the same nice chappy as we did.

[HKNewBi]

I am not a permanent resident yet my daughter is attending a local (cantonese) school. My sister wants to put her daughter in the same school.

I will try and give immigration a call. Haven't managed to get through yet.

Maybe I should also go and apply for my permanent residency .... still haven't got round to it after all these years.

[Pekkerhead]

can I ask, was your daughter born here?