Eyeing a job in Hong Kong? Top talent from mainland China cite language barrier, high living costs as hurdles
- Successful applicants to Top Talent Pass Scheme attend job fair in Hong Kong, with 3,000 jobs offering monthly salaries of HK$25,000 to HK$100,000 up for grabs
- Some incoming talent confident their qualifications are in order, but say language requirements may limit scope of job hunts and give Guangdong peers an edge
A language barrier and high living costs in Hong Kong have been cited as common hurdles for mainland Chinese top talent approved to come to the city, with some saying prospective employers prefer Cantonese-speaking candidates.
The Post spoke to some of the more than 1,500 successful applicants to the Top Talent Pass Scheme as they attended a job fair in Sheung Wan organised by the Hong Kong Top Talent Services Association on Sunday.
The event involved 348 companies, either physically at the venue or joining virtually, with over 3,000 jobs offering monthly salaries of HK$25,000 (US$3,190) to HK$100,000 in industries such as banking, insurance and technology up for grabs.
Hu Yifei, a telecommunications graduate from Shanghai Jiao Tong University attending the job fair, said he found the language barrier was his chief obstacle when deciding whether to pursue a career in Hong Kong.
“Learning the local language is crucial for assimilating into a culture and society. Some employers prefer candidates to have proficiency in Cantonese, though they told me I can learn along the way,” said the 44-year-old, who speaks Mandarin and English.
“I firmly believe in my professional abilities in my field, but if I cannot meet the language requirements, it may limit my options in job hunting as I don’t have the edge some people from Guangdong may have.”
Hu said he would not relocate to Hong Kong until he had landed a job, citing the city’s high living costs.