[angelic]

Can anyone offer any advice?
My Boyfriend has been offered a job in HK. So I'm trailing along...and would like to work.( I'm a yoga teacher and alternative /beauty therapist)
What I'm trying to decide is which visa?
I am originally Australian but also have a British passport so my options are...

*Dependant visa - and look for sponsored employment - do I even qualify being just a girlfriend?

*Working holiday visa - which can be limiting ( working for 3 month periods and after 1 yr they usually want you to go home)

*tourist visa ( is it 3 months or 6? ) and keep renewing

* or work illegally...
Also how usefull are TEFL courses?
lots of questions I know !
Thanks in advance for any advice.

[whatsername]

Hey Angelic!

1/ Dependants visa is only appicable if married or sometimes if you can prove that you are engaged, have been together some time, will be married etc.

2/ Don't much about working holiday visa except you must have a job offer first in order to apply.

3/ Tourist visa: 6 months stay on British passport. You can leave every six months and return under a new tourist visa but it's not strictly allowed and not always the most comfortable way to live from what I hear.

Tefl courses may be helpful but it varies. Working under the table is a personal choice. Depends on you. Plus not many different types of work available doing this.

[Baron]

Angelic, if i was you i would just enter on the Brit passport for now as a visitor. At least that gives you 6 months before you have to leave and come back. You can't work on a dependant visa anymore (as a GF), so don't use that as a means. Once you are here, and have experienced the lifestyle, you can plan what you need to do.

[sj23]

hey angelic,

i am in a similar situation - my bf has been offered a job in hk and i am going along and hoping to get work too.

re the working holiday visa (as opposed to a work permit) you DONT need to have a job before applying, you just need to have a certain amount of HK$ (i think it was HK$14000 for a kiwi, will need to check oz requirements) and its only for a year. mine was approved in 4 weeks.

all the stuff i read before i made my decision said you cant work on a dependent visa or a tourist visa, so if you want to work a working holiday isnt a bad idea unless you can get sponsored and get a work permit?

just a note about the working holiday, you can only work for the same employer for a max of 3 months and you are only meant to work for 6/12mths.

sarah