Teaching English in Hong Kong: An Overview

Hong Kong is a thriving international city, with an exciting nightlife, a smorgasboard of mouth-watering cuisine, and probably the most efficient public transport system in the world. It's no wonder so many people have chosen to move here to live and work. In fact, it's not uncommon to hear people mention they came initially only intending to stay for a year, then ended up staying permanently.

Qualified native English teachers are in high demand in Hong Kong, and teaching can be an incredibly rewarding experience. Students are generally very respectful towards teachers and you'll probably find everyone wants to have a friendly chat with you in order to practice what they've learned.

There are quite a few different kinds of teaching and tutoring roles you can be employed as. So the goal of this article is to look at the different kinds of employment opportunities you can find, what's required in terms of visas and certifications, and even how to set yourself up as a private tutor in HK to boost your income.

English for Younger Learners

Playgroups and kindergartens are often looking to employ Native English Teachers (NETs) and can be a great way to get your foot in the door if you enjoy working with young children. Playgroups are typically for children aged 2-3yrs old and they usually prefer employing female teachers, however it's not unheard of for male teachers to fill the role too. As a playgroup English teacher you would generally be joined by some local teachers to assist you with class management, and a parent or domestic helper would generally be with each child. Expect lots of songs and games.

Kindergartens are the next preparatory step before primary school for children aged 4-6yrs. At this age most kindergartens' English curriculum is focused on phonics and beginning to learn to read. As an English teacher you'll often be tasked with moving between the different classes conducting short lessons with assistance from local teachers.

Generous paid holidays are one of the perks of being a kindergarten teacher in Hong Kong with longer than average holidays at Christmas, Chinese New Year, Easter and summer holidays. However at some kindergartens summer holidays are unpaid leave and instead can be filled with summer school classes or becoming a private tutor.

Local Primary and Secondary Schools

A native English teacher could work at a local primary or secondary school in a few different ways:

1. You could be employed by an agency and you're then sent to various schools part time to teach extra-curricular classes.
2. You could be employed directly by the school as an English Language Teaching Assistant (ELTA) which means they are directly responsible for providing an employment visa if you require it. This is a more junior role and you would normally be assisting the main school NET.
3. You are employed via the government's NET Scheme. More on this below!

The Hong Kong NET Scheme

The NET Scheme is an initiative by the Hong Kong government to ensure there's at least one native English teacher in every school; thus raising the standard of English ability in Hong Kong.

The NET Scheme pays well and has a lot of perks which can include rental assistance if you're not a permanent resident. The great thing about the rental assistance is that if you don't use it all on rent, you can keep what's left! The NET Scheme is run by the EDB (Education Bureau) and teachers in the scheme are supported by Advisory Teachers (ATs) who visit schools in their region to assist with material creation, curriculum development and training sessions.

To be accepted into the NET Scheme, you will need to go through an interview process with EDB representatives (usually the ATs as mentioned above!) which includes a timed written component on a topic you're given on the day. If you get accepted, you're not immediately employed, you're instead placed in a "pool" of teachers which schools can pick from if they have a position they need to fill. So you would then need to go through an interview process with the school itself.

Tutorial Centres in Hong Kong

Tutorial centres, learning centres, educational centres, language centres; they are known by many names, and are usually situated up in office blocks or shopping centres. They contain an array of rooms for small groups of students and a teacher. The maximum class size is generally around 6 and often there will be private one-to-one lessons as well. The quality of life for a teacher at a tutorial centre can vary wildly depending on how it's run. On one side, some owners set out a timetable of classes and don't mind if the teacher takes leave during their downtime between classes, whereas others demand a teacher is at the centre for a set number of hours each day regardless of whether there are classes or not.

Saturdays are big business for tutorial centres in Hong Kong, so it would be very rare for a teacher to have Saturdays rostered off. The most common situation would be for all the teachers to have Sunday off and then they also have a different weekday off, with Monday being the most coveted.

The worst case scenario is the dreaded split shift. Some tutorial centres roster their classes so there are a group of classes in the morning, and a group of classes in the evening. The teacher would be expected to be at work for both, yet usually would not get paid for the time between. If you live nearby this might be acceptable, but it not, it just ends up being a long work day where you don't get paid overtime.

Private English Tutor in Hong Kong

Many English teachers in Hong Kong also teach private lessons in addition to their day job. It can be a great way to earn some extra cash, make friends and get referrals for yet more students.

Often, private English tutors in Hong Kong will meet their students in a coffee shop, a park (preferably not during the humid summer months!), or visit the students home for the lesson. Rates can vary, and usually depend on the distance that's travelled, the length of the session, and the number of students.

The best way to find a new student is undoubtedly through a referral from a current student, or through a dedicated, free online platform like Tutor Seek. Gain enough students and you could turn private tutoring into your day job!

As an aspiring private English tutor in Hong Kong the first step should be setting up a free profile page on TutorSeek.com and fill out a brief bio, an eye-catching heading and a professional looking picture of yourself. Following that, list the types of classes you're offering to students. You can list the prices for each one too if you like but it's optional; sometimes it can be better to wait and find out where the student lives before committing to a certain rate.