Living and Working in HK

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. 

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) 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.

On-campus Accommodation
The University provides on-campus accommodation for eligible appointees to rent, with a range of options including studio flats (approx. 370 – 420 sq. ft. with 1 bedroom) and larger family-style suites (approx. 680 – 2,200 sq. ft. with 2 – 4 bedrooms), subject to availability. Eligible appointees may apply for on-campus accommodation after accepting an appointment offer from the University and the waiting time for occupancy depends on the application queue. Typically, a new recruit coming from overseas can move in the assigned flat three days prior to the date of assumption of duty.

Off-campus Housing
Our campus, which overlooks Tolo Habour, can be easily reached by bus or railway. Residential areas near the campus such as Shatin, Ma On Shan and Taipo are conveniently located and offer a variety of rented accommodation options in different sizes and conditions.

New staff members often prefer to rent a private residential property initially instead of buying. It is advisable to first learn more about the tenancy practice in Hong Kong, and then plan to search for a flat on one’s own efforts or through a licensed estate agent. Renting a serviced apartment is another option affording appreciable flexibility (in lease period) and convenience (commonly in accessible locations with comprehensive services/facilities). For more information about the tenancy practice in Hong Kong, please refer to the “Useful Links” section below.

Before signing a tenancy agreement, it is essential to consider various factors including the lease period, rental and deposit amounts, provision of furniture and electrical appliances, responsibility for estate management fees/utility charges, maintenance and repairs, etc.

Useful Links
1. Renting a Domestic Property (GovHK)
2. Tenancy Practice and Procedure (Estate Agents Authority)
3. A Guide to Tenancy (Estate Agents Authority)
4. Notes on Signing a Tenancy Agreement (Estate Agents Authority & Consumer Council)
5. FAQs on property transactions and estate agents’ services (Estate Agents Authority)
6. Part IVA of the Landlord and Tenant (Consolidation) Ordinance - Regulated Tenancies (Rating and Valuation Department)

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.

Kindergarten education in Hong Kong is optional, but children aged 3 to 5 normally attend kindergarten, followed by 6 years of primary education and 6 years of secondary education in public sector schools. Upon completion of secondary education, students may take the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) Examination, which qualifies them for admission to post-secondary institutions.

Alternatively, non-Chinese-speaking children may receive their education through more than 50 international schools, which generally follow 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.

Useful Links
1. General information on kindergarten, primary and secondary education (Education Bureau)
2. Guide to Education in Hong Kong for Non-Chinese Speaking Parent (Education Bureau)
3. Education services for non-Chinese speaking (NCS) students (Education Bureau)
4. International schools in Hong Kong

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.

Public 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.

Driving
Guide on becoming a driver in Hong Kong and options for overseas driving license holders are provided by GovHK. The University regulations governing traffic and parking management on campus can be found in the website of the Security Office.

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.

To open a bank account in Hong Kong, identification documents (e.g. Hong Kong Identity Card, passport) and proof of residential address are required. You may refer to the guide provided by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority. Both the Hang Seng Bank and the Bank of East Asia have set up branches on the campus.

Mobile/ Fixed-Line phone service
Mobile plans in Hong Kong typically include local phone call, data and text with optional value-added services (e.g. roaming, app subscription) at extra charges. Pre-paid SIM Card available at convenience stores is an alternative for fixed usage of data or number of calls within a designated period. Both prepaid and service plan SIM cards must be registered with real name and identification documents, plus proof of residential address for subscription to a service plan. Another option is to sign up for a fixed-line telephone service, which offers unlimited local phone calls at a flat rate.

Internet
Hong Kong is a highly connected city. Apart from regular internet plans for household and business that are priced based on bandwidth speed, there are numerous free public Wi-Fi hotspots available for easy access throughout the city.

Click here for a list of service providers of the above telecommunication service.

The Hospital Authority in Hong Kong is a statutory body providing public healthcare services in regional cluster to both permanent residents and non-permanent residents holding a valid visa and Hong Kong identification card, at nominal charges. There are also private hospitals and medical services provided by the private healthcare sector. Private medical care usually entails shorter waiting time but at a higher cost, and additional self-paid health insurance may be considered for a more comprehensive coverage.

The University Health Service Centre and Chinese Medicine Specialty Clinic on the campus offer general outpatient medical care and dental care to eligible staff and students. The public and private hospitals closest to the campus are The Prince of Wales Hospital and The CUHK Medical Centre respectively.

Click here for further information on health and medical services in Hong Kong.