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CX Local/Expat Scale, how does it work?

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CX Local/Expat Scale, how does it work?

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Old 12th Oct 2008, 14:18
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CX Local/Expat Scale, how does it work?

Hello
I'm in my last year of school and have been heavily contemplating a career in aviation. On a thread in the Fragrant Harbour forum, i read about what LEPs are feeling with regard to benefits/pay. I recently met a CX F/O of a local HK background, who joined CX as a DESO and was put onto a local payscale, with no housing or anything of the sort.

I still have a Hong Kong ID despite years of living down under. If I trained and did some grubby work to build up my hours and joined as a DESO or DEFO, would i be discriminated against aswell because of my HKID or.....was this instance I experienced a rare situation?

Any helpful/constructive replies answering or discussing this would be appreciated.

Chuz,
BNEHKG9
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Old 13th Oct 2008, 10:37
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If you can avoid the Cadet program do, don't let the excitement of shiny jets and the initial $$$ blind you, as once your in on local terms and realise that a 3rd year S/O can get paid more than you as a Local Captain (10 years down the track) due to the far superior expat package.

The other option is join the cadet program with the intention of leaving once you have 500 hours on the 777/A330 as a JF/O, that will probably be 4-5 years down the track.

Try and use those 4-5 years to get flying training and experience elsewhere then join as a direct entry F/O.

I promise you, you will kick yourself time and time again for not going down the expat route and will probably leave once you try to have a family on local terms.

Don't even mention the HKID bit, CX will try and shaft you a shove you on local terms if they can.
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Old 14th Oct 2008, 05:31
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Thanks for the great reply SMOC, very much appreciated.
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Old 14th Oct 2008, 06:49
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BNEHKG9

CX sponsors expats for their HK work permit. It will become very obvious very quickly that you have an existing HKID card if you try and hide it once they put in the paper work to the immigration department.
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Old 16th Oct 2008, 10:20
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i thought they have to put you on expat if you basically don't live in HK? what about people who have been overseas for 20 years and apply for CX? would almost make no sense to join CX if u end up on local terms just for having a HKID. i know some ppl doing their training overseas, but in that case they'll only have a HKID and not another passport, then of course they'd have to be considered a local
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Old 16th Oct 2008, 13:11
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To put it simply if you join the CX cadet program you will be on local terms, however CX has hired directly onto local terms, so if you have a HKID it's ok just don't use it as a potential ace up your sleeve to get the job, otherwise CX may use it as an ace up their sleeve to put you on local terms.

If you can get flying training without joining the cadet program do, the expat conditions are 100 times better
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Old 16th Oct 2008, 19:57
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HKID + other passport = local
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Old 17th Oct 2008, 13:53
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Guys & Girls,

If you hold a HKID you can't hide it from CX as they will check through immigration. No matter how you argue the point that you should be on the expat terms they will put you on the local terms period. The difference in pay disparity is huge & you will regret it a few years down the track. It happened to me they offered the local terms and in an uncertain terms it implies that you either take it or leave it. In a polite way I told CX to stick it. Just because I hold a HKID and I don't live in HK why than I have to be disadventage and discriminate compared to someone from abroad. CX is a disgrace.
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Old 17th Oct 2008, 15:30
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Lowspirited

Making sense of not if really a personal thing, for me some ppl may say its stupid, but my choice is CX, yes Im applying for the cadet program but even If I already have a licence I would still choose CX. I haven't applied for any other cadet schemes cause I simply dont want to fly for those carriers eg. SQ, QF etc.. I dont know how to explain it, even after hearing all the bad things about it I hasn't changed my mind. But if your for the $$ then yeah abviously choose who ever pays the best .
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Old 20th Oct 2008, 09:04
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Noskcid

You really sound like a classmate of mine, may i ask if you're 18-20 years old? (i know for sure you're not my classmate due to a discrepency in english level) His justification sounds like yours, except in reality all it means is he and maybe you as well, does not want to take the long road from PPL->CPL->some form of regional/charter/instructing -> apply for airlines. So his justification is if he wants to be a pilot, CX is his only choice, so no matter how poor the terms are, its his only goal. Sure a cadet place is the easy way to join an airline, but the question is at what expense.

Of course being born in HK means if you have any patriotism in your blood, you'd prefer to fly for CX rather than SQ/QF/BA or whatever airline you can think of in the world. But just remember, a few years after you start flying for an airline and you get over the fact that you're just flying between 2 destinations and not a "top gun" doing overpasses at 50' you still have yourself to feed, and possibly a family. Sitting in a cockpit where a pilot junior to you could possibly be paid almost twice as much as you might start sinking in, when you wife wants a new house

Just out of curiosity, the FTA+cadet program explcitly stated upon joining CX after 4 years of instructing you'll be on expat scale, or is there yet another exception for holding a HKID?
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Old 20th Oct 2008, 18:21
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hmmm

I always wonder about this grey area...its good that some of yas actually discuss about this. Because im planning to come back to Hong Kong once i get the hours i need flying in the Mainland. Looks like i know what to expect now...might choose a different path then....some place where i wont get disadvantage and discriminate just because i have a HKID. It is really sad for people like us who are building their hours with sweat, just to find out they are going to be put on local terms when they apply CX or Dragon.

So does anyone actually know somebody who won an expat contract with HKID? Is there really no hope?
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Old 21st Oct 2008, 08:48
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Most groundstaff employees taken on with CX who come from any where in the Asia region are offered local contracts. This is most definitely not HKID specific, but far more general. I'm guessing that the same discrimination exists in flt ops....comments anyone?
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Old 21st Oct 2008, 18:01
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Bnehkg9

Hey check ur PM mate
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Old 23rd Oct 2008, 08:16
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payscales

who'z got CX's pay scales and benefits packages? or can direct me to them? e.g. Local/Expat/Foreign based...etc etc
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Old 29th Oct 2008, 09:26
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Wink Hkid/ Hkpr

Hi..this might sound a little too much to ask.. but better know then ignorance!
any difference if I'm holding a Hong Kong Permanent Identity Card or HKID,...
is it the same ?
Rgds.
Mike
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Old 25th Nov 2008, 14:04
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Declare non-citizen

Hi Guys,

Could we (HKID*** + foreign passport holders) declare / give up HKID / citizenship? Then we have no other nationality but whatever the foreign passport say. I'm willing to do this if it means I can get on expat pay!
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Old 25th Nov 2008, 15:52
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Was born in HKG, had a HKID card untill i was 18, but because we had then been based in the UK, never got it renewed. Does this make me a local or an expat? Just wondering as am putting my papers in for cx soon and dont want to get shaf@*d by mgt due to being born there and not living there for the last 15 years.
Cheers
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Old 26th Nov 2008, 13:21
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Firstly I dont know if you can give up a HKID, and also if you are apply for cadetship min req. is also you must hold a HK ID.

If you are born in HK and haven lived in HK for the last 40yrs ur still seem as a local, that is unless u have a few 1000 hrs n apply DESO,DEFO, then thats a diff story
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Old 26th Nov 2008, 14:07
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Thanks Noskcid. Direct entry is what I'm referring to (not cadets). Does anyone know any cases for DE being forced to take a local contract (terms)? And what did they do (took it or left it)?
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Old 27th Nov 2008, 07:52
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It doesn't matter whether you hold an HKID or not with your surname in Chinese and look like a CHinese/Asian you will be on the local terms. It happened to one of my mates who never hold a HKID was offered on the local terms. So whatever angle you're going to appraoach it with a Chinese surname you sure automatically on the local terms.

Cheers, Happy huntering.
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