Work Visa renewals
Join Date: Dec 2020
Location: HK
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No, but cathay itself should have sacked visa holder SO first, rather then the local SO. There are still cathay local boys out there with no job while visa holder SO still have a job. This should not have happened.
For dragonair, technically they are two companys. I have no problem with it
For dragonair, technically they are two companys. I have no problem with it
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: the land of chocolate
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correct me if I’m wrong, but the initial sacking you meant was before the visa renewal issues came up, right?
it was not the job of cx to distinguish between visa holder and local/pr, before it became an issue.
could they have foreseen it? Perhaps they should have, or maybe they just didn’t care.
now we are in this mess, how to fix it? You can’t really..
cx has different hiring practices or preferences than dragon did, to force cx to take on dragon people seems wrong to me especially at the detriment of people already in cx.
it was not the job of cx to distinguish between visa holder and local/pr, before it became an issue.
could they have foreseen it? Perhaps they should have, or maybe they just didn’t care.
now we are in this mess, how to fix it? You can’t really..
cx has different hiring practices or preferences than dragon did, to force cx to take on dragon people seems wrong to me especially at the detriment of people already in cx.
Join Date: Dec 2020
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Look at how Singapore and other Chinese airline do in making people redundancy. Both have let expat go first rather than reverse seniority. Both airlines are politically sensitive enough and avoided a mess. Now CX again has created a problem, not affecting themselves but the whole hk aviation industry.
I personally don’t think CX can’t foresee this is coming. They have been get into the same trouble in international cadet back in early 2010s
I personally don’t think CX can’t foresee this is coming. They have been get into the same trouble in international cadet back in early 2010s
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: London
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Politics and business ethos never on a level playing field. Purely politically, I favour jobs for the locals. Purely on business lines, I favour jobs for the more suited and talented. The two go head-to= head when you have too many foreigners and too many locals. It has been like that for decades in the Middle East. I know many who enjoyed the latter location for decades but most were aware that it would only last until the locals, simply outnumbered the foreign guests.
All of us pilots tend to develop loyalties very quickly and enjoy getting into the team spirit. When flying for a foreign airline in a foreign country on a RV/work-permit the team spirit and desire to "belong" is very misguided and doomed to transition rather than permanency.
Very sad and even moreso when it is time to go but nothing to go back to.
All of us pilots tend to develop loyalties very quickly and enjoy getting into the team spirit. When flying for a foreign airline in a foreign country on a RV/work-permit the team spirit and desire to "belong" is very misguided and doomed to transition rather than permanency.
Very sad and even moreso when it is time to go but nothing to go back to.
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Wan Chai
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I am all for what Oasis is suggesting. Why should an employed worker suffer and be fired just so a Local can fill the position. When it comes to redundancies then yes follow the list and out the Visa holders before the PR then the Chinese locals. What will happen in June hopefully follows this method. It is more or less the seniority order anyway.
What the government is doing by stalling the visa renewals has no real point. They should either deny or approve and get on with their jobs. Leaving people in the dark is a horrible tactic.
What the government is doing by stalling the visa renewals has no real point. They should either deny or approve and get on with their jobs. Leaving people in the dark is a horrible tactic.
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Never You Mind
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So work visas are not available so local jobs are protected... whilst this is not ideal for many CX employees I can at least see their point. But over the years CX have not maintained work visas for Based Pilots because apparently Based Crew did not need a work visa. These individuals that have no right to work in HK so how is it they do have the right to be taxed in HK? It's one or the other...
If you were in your home country and qualified for a job but unemployed, how would you feel about a foreigner doing that job instead of you ? Most people would become suddenly nationalistic and want to replace the expats with locals.
In some airlines, expats are there only on a temporary basis and they know it, with a five year contract renewable on "if required" terms. This has suited some people who only wanted a retirement job, or to get some jet time and move on. Until a few years ago CX was a career airline where you expected to stay until retirement, it was highly profitable and there weren't enough locals to fill the seats. Now there is a massive downturn with a greater percentage of local pilots than ever before, conditions have been on a downward slide for years and the idea of a family life in Hong Kong while working for CX has become far less attractive.
Unfortunately it's now reached the stage where having an exit plan is essential and it will need to involve a few years of not flying. Alternative means of making a living need to be looked into, along with accommodation and children's schooling. Having a "to do" list if the worse happens next month would be a sensible move.
In some airlines, expats are there only on a temporary basis and they know it, with a five year contract renewable on "if required" terms. This has suited some people who only wanted a retirement job, or to get some jet time and move on. Until a few years ago CX was a career airline where you expected to stay until retirement, it was highly profitable and there weren't enough locals to fill the seats. Now there is a massive downturn with a greater percentage of local pilots than ever before, conditions have been on a downward slide for years and the idea of a family life in Hong Kong while working for CX has become far less attractive.
Unfortunately it's now reached the stage where having an exit plan is essential and it will need to involve a few years of not flying. Alternative means of making a living need to be looked into, along with accommodation and children's schooling. Having a "to do" list if the worse happens next month would be a sensible move.
Mill Worker
That had v little to do with CX and a whole lot to do with the sham of a communist plutocracy that we call a government.
That had v little to do with CX and a whole lot to do with the sham of a communist plutocracy that we call a government.
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: usa
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To be honest. I think in the grand scheme of things what’s happening with this VIsa problem is nil significant. 300-400 “dragon local pilots” got fired. I can tell you 1/3 did not even pass the CX interview intiallly that’s why they went to dragon. The other 2/3. Will find a job very soon as many will be leaving because of this POS18.
Join Date: Mar 2015
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The company knows very well what the immigration department has decided re visa renewals and issues. They are using this to shed the non-PR based and HKG pilots. Just another example of lying by our bosses. How can one make an informed decision on VSS without all the facts? Disgusting but expected mistreatment.
Join Date: Dec 2020
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WeelardPassord
Really!? Where do you get this numbers from? I can say 2/3 did even pass KA initial test and that’s why they went to CX.
KA is “safer” than CX, according to LOSA. PERIOD!
Really!? Where do you get this numbers from? I can say 2/3 did even pass KA initial test and that’s why they went to CX.
KA is “safer” than CX, according to LOSA. PERIOD!
WeelardPassord
I trust you mean Local & PR?
KA was the better airline option for highly experienced pilots who could upgrade quickly. Even now without a job, KA was the better option as they are far wealthier and more experienced than if they’d taken the CX path with slow command upgrades. Pilots with previous airbus experience could upgrade in a year and be check and training by their third year in the company- about the time a CX pilot moves into the RHS from doing whatever an SO does?
Local pilots too. They were put into the RHS from day one. It was brutal with MPL. Yet they’ve coped and are well positioned with whatever eventuates. Local KA F/O’s are well ready for command with whatever comes from the ashes of HK.
I actually feel sorry for any CX pilot who feels a superiority which your post indicates- because you may be poorly prepared if dumped onto the aviation trash heap.
I trust you mean Local & PR?
KA was the better airline option for highly experienced pilots who could upgrade quickly. Even now without a job, KA was the better option as they are far wealthier and more experienced than if they’d taken the CX path with slow command upgrades. Pilots with previous airbus experience could upgrade in a year and be check and training by their third year in the company- about the time a CX pilot moves into the RHS from doing whatever an SO does?
Local pilots too. They were put into the RHS from day one. It was brutal with MPL. Yet they’ve coped and are well positioned with whatever eventuates. Local KA F/O’s are well ready for command with whatever comes from the ashes of HK.
I actually feel sorry for any CX pilot who feels a superiority which your post indicates- because you may be poorly prepared if dumped onto the aviation trash heap.
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Honkers
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Leaving the immigration politics aside, let's imagine CX sacking all the Captains saying they weren't needed anymore but at the same time they were going to upgrade half the FOs to fill the gap in the left hand seat, that's pretty much what's happening here. Now if all this happened in my home country I'd be outraged, but then again the politicians there have at least some accountability to the general public.
Join Date: Oct 2018
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Could be wrong or it might have changed as it's been a number of years, but I don't think this is correct. From simply being married to a Hong Kong Citizen/PR Holder you get nothing other than a dependant visa. Then after the 7 years of presence/residing in Hong Kong you can apply like anyone else for PR. You are right that you still wouldn't get the asterisk.
I'm not sure how helpful a dependants visa would be given the current predicament? Every indication seems to be that the gov have indicated preference must be given to those holding PR?
I'm not sure how helpful a dependants visa would be given the current predicament? Every indication seems to be that the gov have indicated preference must be given to those holding PR?
Join Date: Mar 2016
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All you need LLLQNH is a visa that allows you to work. A dependant visa allows that. There is one pilot exKA taken on by GBA for their first course starting 7th June who has such a visa.
