Business administration graduate Tin Lau Tin-yat did not have to think twice about going to work in mainland China under Hong Kong’s Greater Bay Area Youth Employment Scheme.
The programme offers young Hongkongers with at least a bachelor’s degree an opportunity to work across the border for up to 18 months, earning no less than HK$18,000 (US$2,310) a month.
“The good thing about this programme is that with the same salary I may earn in Hong Kong, I can have a very good quality of life on the mainland,” he said.
“It also allows Hongkongers to have a very different perspective. On the mainland, you see a lot of interesting industries in which you can develop a career.”
However, the past 15 months have not all been smooth sailing. Like other Hongkongers interviewed by the Post, Lau found it hard at first to cope with the work culture.
At a tech company in Shenzhen, he landed in hot water for addressing a client by his first name during meetings. His supervisor was taken aback, because the client was the co-founder of his company.
“After we returned to the office, he reminded me to be more careful when addressing clients,” Lau said.
