Hi,
I am from Southeast Asia and don't know the Chinese language. I currently have a valid work permit in Taiwan via its newly introduced Top 200 Global Universities Graduate work permit scheme. Can I work with only knowing English in Taiwan for MBB?
Or is it more feasible to work in HK with only English? but I don't have a valid work permit there.
I have personal reasons outside of work for why I consider these 2 locations.
Thank you.
Best regards,
Anonym
Hi,
talk to the recruiters and check their hiring policy. If they allow applications for non-Chinese speaking people then it is possible to work there with only English.
However, in general the market is not the greatest for English speaking consultants. Besides Singapore, South East Asia (including HK and Taipei) is very difficult without the local language. I ended up with live interpreters in the room when I was on a project there because the clients didn't speak English. Nevertheless, the offices occasionally hire internationals without local language skills and staff them on international projects or in mixed teams. Hence, definitely talk to the recruiters.
When it comes to the visa you will have to check how difficult it is to obtain one for HK. Not being able to get a visa is certainly a deal breaker.
All the best,
Patrick
Hey,
There are some MBB partners that speak only English and another European language in Taiwan. However, I am not sure about the Analyst/Associate level: there is no harm in asking a recruiter, especially if you come from a top global university :)
Beyond Taiwan, I would consider Singapore, typically a big hub with a lot of international folks. HK tends to be smaller and not hiring a lot due to geopolitical uncertainty, but it depends on the specific firm
Best,
Tom
you would seriously struggle. The only avenue i can think of is if you are an incredible expert in a high demand field; lets say, materials engineer for semiconductors - But even then, there are already plenty of SMEs available from China for that.
Hi there,
In practice, you need to check with the actual office recruiter whether or not they have language requirements and what these are.
And even then, sometimes they make exceptions.
But it's important to understand these early on and then adjust your application strategy accordingly.
Best,
Cristian
Taipei without Chinese is very hard. The office serves mostly Taiwanese clients, and client work, workshops, and documents happen in Mandarin. The work permit gets you eligible, but language gets you staffed.
Hong Kong is more feasible because of its English-friendly history with multinationals, banks, and PE. But it's tightened recently as more work links to mainland China.
If your reasons allow flexibility, Singapore is the easiest entry for an English-speaking Southeast Asian candidate into MBB Asia.
If Taipei is non-negotiable, start Mandarin now and plan a 12 to 18 month runway.
Good luck.
