Anyone in Taipei?

[GermanHouseCat]

DH has been interviewing for a job in Taipei and they seem to really want him - he used to work with the hiring manager in the UK so the role is a slightly known quantity. It's a huge multinational.

The package includes: housing, medical, flights home annually, schooling for any future kids.

They have asked him what salary he wants - obviously it's difficult without knowing exactly the job, but what is considered to be a good salary over there? We want to be able to stash money for a few years and then come home.

As for me, I work in banking in a back office function. I've had really fast career progression and don't want to give it up. Are there banking jobs for international banks? How feasible is it for me to live in Hong Kong Mon-Fri and for DH and I to fly to each other at weekends? I travel 5 days a week at the moment so not too fazed in theory.

We've lived overseas before but nowhere quite as edgy!

Thanks so much for any nuggets of wisdom.

[GermanHouseCat]

Hopeful bump...

[Moopsboopsmum]

Join the FB group Hong Kong Moms , the ladies there will help you answer these questions. And most would say live in Taiwan in preference to HK!

[GermanHouseCat]

Thanks!

[Laptopwieldingharpy]

Have a look on squarefoot.com for an idea of rental budget in HK. It will gooble up a great chunk of your income.

[KeyserSophie]

I'd actually disagree. Pre- kids HK every time ( and after IMO tbh). My bestie just left Taipei after 2 yrs in favour of Singapore. She is the ultimate expat, can make friends with anyone, and even she found Taipei socially desperate because v hard to meet people outside the family scene or TEFL scene. There just aren't many of them. For you, HK banking scene is way way bigger. Hk is the regional hub and per DH, for back office in Taipei, ( lack of) ability to speak Mandarin would be more of an issue than HK. Therefore, I'd base yourselves in Hk and have him commute to Hk for weekends. Far more fun.

[KeyserSophie]

Sorry- meant to add- weekly commute either way v doable. Loads of flights.

[Laptopwieldingharpy]

Agree with sophie but was assuming he would only get the big package towards settling in Taiwan. And residency laws could be a problem. If his allowance/ benefits are paid cash and no questions asked, i would certainly lean on a base in HK.

[GermanHouseCat]

Really helpful advice, thank you!

My asia preference would be Singapore, have done it before and totally familiar with it. But that isn't on the table for us at the moment whereas this Taipei thing is looking like a strong possibility. I've spent a lot of time in HK in the past for work, but have never lived there. Jobs in my part of banking are hugely in demand and highly prized - I could probably get my own expat package based in HK and DH could do the weekend run over.

[Laptopwieldingharpy]

Sounds promising!
Good luck! HK is great. In many ways much better than Sg.
Flight just 1h45. Lots of flights daily with HK airlines, china airline, cathay, eva air

[KeyserSophie]

Eva definitely- you cannot pass up the opportunity to fly "Hello Kitty"

[GermanHouseCat]

A slightly ludicrous development. DH and I had agreed that I would stay in the UK for a while - carry on with my job for about 9 months (big deliverables due, plus deferred bonus plan) and then look for a job in HK. I've actually already got a job lined up that I can keep warm. I would then live in HK and DH and I can travel at weekends, holiday together etc. After a couple of years we would probably look to have kids and I would be happy to live in Taipei with him as a SAHM for a while before reconsidering our location.

DH's potential new boss in Taiwan (a British guy) asked him outright about our living arrangements. He explained that we are sorting something out that works for us.

In response, they have made an offer that is two tiered, and effectively only pays a decent amount if I commit to living FT in Taiwan from day 1...If I don't live there the job offer drops significantly to the point where financially it is not that attractive (although still not bad). It feels weirdly controlling to me - who cares where your employees' other halves live as long as the job gets done? It completely changes things for me as I'm not ready to give it all up yet.

Argh.

Any thoughts?

[HerRoyalNotness]

I'm not sure if you're talking his actual salary is dropping, or the additional benefits, if you don't go immediately.

This is not unusual for the benefits side, our company does the single, accompanied and family status all with different housing, uplifts and conditions and DH wouldn't get family status benefits if we didn't go with him from the off.

[GermanHouseCat]

It's his actual salary that would drop, not the benefits package. The boss says it's to encourage me to move as he doesn't want us to live apart and for DH to subsequently leave the job if it doesn't work.