A welcome change to the stereotypical head in the sand / tunnel visioned blinker attitude.
If your partner is as determined to succeed then he will, and you won't have to sacrifice standards or self worth (least of all contributing to the detriment of a once great airline).
There are jobs at the GA as well as regional level that require and set far higher standards of recruitment that CX does, and they
can pay better both in real and net figures (read many previous posts regarding that point). From there your partner earns real hours that allow him immensely more flexibility and movement in his career and your future. CX chains you to a bonded existence far longer than the terms of the contracted "bond" due to the P2X rating.....
Does anyone have any advice from spouses who are in similar situation and making it work in Hong Kong?
You've answered your own question with the comment you made earlier so why be a part of something you've realised stinks to high hell:
After years of applying to airlines this is the first bite, and now I know why.
As you say, you're spouse isn't a young single person hence why I trust you see past the Top Gun movies, Playstation games and me-first GenY ignorant attitude that
WILL bite them in the tail in the long term.
Relying on yourself landing another well paid job "in this economic climate" in order to hope to make ends meet is a bit irresponsible to be honest. But does that make it right for him to lower his own industry because he can be supported elsewhere? It's no different to making universities available to only the rich. If so then better qualified, experienced but not as well-off students are shoved aside for the less / zero qualified but rich kids who can "afford" it.
Do some serious research into your own job prospects and then place them beside your spouse's and note his income is at an ever diminishing rate due the fact that the insulting housing allowance is not factored to the housing market fluctuations. That $36k HKD he'll get after becoming a senior Capt will probably be worth that same pathetic $10k HKD per month he'll initially get by the time he reaches that milestone. And his age.... Will he ever see a Command due his age and seniority progression? So perhaps he'll never see that diminished $36k HKD a month. Your age is shown as being 40. If he is close to or even older than that then he'll be lucky to ever see a Command - and isn't that the real dream of pilots: to one day be Captain? So will CX allow him to fulfil his ambition if it all possible to forget about the slap in the face contract and terms?
As you've noticed, CX are relying on the gullible and SJS dreamers for this iCadet SO scheme, not the mature and experienced applicants. There's a reason those truly in the know either advise strongly against it or refuse to apply, let alone join.
(I'm assuming your spouse is male so apologies if I'm wrong - no offence intended)