Native-speaking English Teacher (NET) Scheme in Secondary School

FAQ

Who will be my employer?
The school that you are matched with will be your employer. You will sign a contract with the respective school. Different schools will vary in different aspects such as the academic standard of the students, school culture, etc.

What are the school hours?
The school hours are from 8.00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. with extra-curricular activities until around 5 p.m.

What will be my working hours?
NETs are required to work during school hours, after school hours and sometimes weekends to perform duties. (Please refer to the main page for the duties.)

What is the class size of secondary schools?
The number of students per class varies between 40-45 students.

How many days of school holidays are there in the year?
There are a total of 90 days per year excluding Saturdays and Sundays. Major holidays include Christmas and New Year, Chinese New Year, Easter and Summer Vacation. However, teachers may be required to work on school holidays.

How is my salary assessed?
Salary increments may be awarded for recognized relevant post-degree teaching experience on production of relevant Certificates/Statements of Service. Without supporting document, your salary will not be revised. Each Certificate/Statement of Service must include the following:
  1. length of the employment, with exact dates;
  2. nature of employment (i.e. whether full-time or part-time);
  3. for part-time employment, fraction of full-time experience;
  4. subject(s) taught; and
  5. age and levels/grades of students taught. What is Special Allowance?
    A sum of HK$13,000(approx US$1,666) per month will be paid on top of your salary. This allowance is mainly to pay for accommodation. Should you and your spouse be both hired as NET, only one allowance will be paid.

    Issues on accommodation
    Flats in general are smaller and more expensive when compared to the standard in your home country. Rental costs in different districts within Hong Kong vary greatly in price. The rent of an apartment of 500 ft2 varies between HK$7,000 to HK$13,000 excluding all outgoing expenses such as management fees, power bill, and water charges, etc. Should you wish to know more about the rental costs in different districts, you can search through some of the popular search engines for property web sites for Hong Kong properties. Some web sites also include maps and schools of different districts for your easy reference. Schools to which you are deployed will help you in seeking accommodation.

    Will my round trip airfare be paid for?
    Yes, NETs and their family are entitled to claim airfare of coming to and returning home from Hong Kong for each contract.

    How do I get the medical allowance?
    The medical allowance is for you to take out medical insurance during your contract period. You will be reimbursed the actual expense on the medical insurance premium up to the ceiling stated in your contract.

    Can my spouse work in Hong Kong?
    You need to consult the Immigration Department when you apply for a work permit in Hong Kong. Normally, a spouse entering Hong Kong as a dependent is permitted to work here.

    What schools will be available for my children's education?
    Very likely your children will have to attend international schools. International school fees are high. Please refer to the leaflet "Education facilities for non-Chinese speaking children" that will be distributed to you at the interview.

    How much tax do I have to pay?
    Standard income tax rate is 15%. There is no sales tax in Hong Kong.

    What is an Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) scheme?
    It is a system of retirement protection. It is a statutory requirement under the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Ordinance (MPFSO) (Cap. 485) that all employees in Hong Kong have to enrol in an MPF scheme after 1 December 2000.

    How much will I need to contribute to an MPF scheme?
    The contribution rate for both the employer and the employee prescribed in the prevailing provisions of the MPFSO is 5% of the employee's income (excluding Special Allowance), subject to the maximum level of income of HK$20,000 per month.

    If I enrol in an MPF scheme, will my gratuity be affected?
    The contract gratuity payable to the NET plus the MPF contribution made by the employer in respect of the NET will be equal to 15% of the basic salary, which shall be at the same level as before the implementation of the MPF system.

    Can I be exempted from the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Ordinance (MPFSO) ?
    Under the MPFSO, a person can be exempt from the application of the provisions of the MPFSO under certain circumstances which include, inter alia, the following:
    1. permission is given for the person to land or remain in Hong Kong for the purposes of employment under the conditions of stay imposed in accordance with section 11 of the Immigration Ordinance (Cap. 115); and
    2. the period during which the person is given permission to remain in Hong Kong does not exceed 12 months; or
    3. the person is a member of a provident, pension, retirement or superannuation scheme established outside Hong Kong. (Such schemes include personal retirement scheme as well as national retirement scheme. It does not matter whether or not the member is making contributions to the overseas scheme when the person is employed in Hong Kong.)
    Should you have any further queries, you can reach us by email at [email protected].

    I would like to bring your attention a common mistake of putting gen or gon instead of gcn in the email address.