Longer work hours in HK? If want to get pregnant

Just got an offer to move to HK. For those of you move from US to HK, do you see the working hours and work loads are more than you had in US, in general? If I want to get pregnant, is the move feasible?


Any insights will be greatly appreciated.

congratulations on the job offer!


your question is a bit general...there are aspects you haven't shared that impact answers. for example - is your new job a promotion? that might change the current hours you are working regardless of where you are posted. also, are you currently working in a "world city"? the work hours in somewhere like new york and somewhere like cincinnati do tend to be different.


if you want to get pregnant, there are plenty of hours in the day (and night) for that. many female professionals get pregnant while working in hong kong; some choose to stop working, most take maternity leave and then head back to the workplace.


hong kong is also beneficial to many working mothers because of the excellent and affordable cost of domestic helpers.


good luck in your decision!

I moved from SF to HK close to 4 years ago and it took me over a year to adjust to the pace and the environment. Although if you are moving from NYC, the shock might be less severe.


In terms of working hour, it's not necessarily longer but you tend to start your day later (around 9:30am) which means you get off work later too. To give you an idea, the busiest dinner time at restaurants starts between 8:30 to 9:00pm.


You do have extremely affordable domestic help here in HK but that's assuming you are the type of career woman who can emtionally handle the fact that your baby spends more time with, and potentially becomes more attached to, the nanny than you.


All in alll, I don't think anyone would vote HK as the most family friendly city in the world. That being said, a lot of career women do manage. One little side fact, HK has one of the lowest fertility rate amongst big cities. There are many reasons, but the high level of stress you are subject to definitely ranks high on the list.


Some facts:

-Most companies' medical benefits do not cover maternity (prenatal care and delivery) unless you are a high powere executive with a full expat package, as it's not required by law.

-10 weeks maternity leave is required by law and your job is protected by law during your pregnancy


Hope this helps.

To Fluery,


Thank you so much for the details info. It's a very tough decision... I'm at age high 30's and would like to get pregnant next year... I need to start this priority... but on the other hand, the position is a good opportunity in terms of career advancement and pay increase...


Not easy, tough trade-offs.

huangsq,


Then you'll need to decide what's more important to you, having children or career advancement. Whatever decision you end up making, I wish you good luck.

Well, the children vs. career advancement issue is a debate that one would face in the States, as well as HK. Not knowing exactly what profession you have, and which US city you currently live in, it's difficult to say which might be more conducive. It comes down to personal choice. Having seen friends in the States struggle with both - and many opting to quit since affordable childcare in the States is a problem - if you are determined to have both, then HK might be a bit easier, as you can easily get full-time live-in help.