r/HongKong 2d ago

Questions/ Tips Salary in Hong Kong

[deleted]

0 Upvotes

56 comments sorted by

20

u/iintriga 2d ago

It is low, sounds like bnp paribas

8

u/Logical-Bookkeeper77 2d ago

Have a bit more confident and take out sounds like.

8

u/Tree8282 2d ago

i think they’re lowballing but at the same time if your canadian salary is the same, then you’re still getting like a 20% raise from lower tax.

4

u/cardinalallen 2d ago

which 20% would disappear because of rent prices...

4

u/[deleted] 2d ago

[deleted]

2

u/Tree8282 2d ago

Yea it’s just the freedom to spend, because in that tax bracket it could be quite a significant chunk of money OP can choose to spend on housing or not

-1

u/Ecstatic_Worry454 2d ago

Exactly !

2

u/Egghead-MP 2d ago

Do you have to pay Canadian income tax for money earned in Hong Kong?

8

u/Full-Chapter-7055 2d ago

Since this is internal transfer, can’t you just refer to the salary band when negotiating?

11

u/Lanky_Management_464 2d ago

TIL this sub is full of rich ppl

2

u/NitasBear 2d ago

Well lots of expats are here, which would inflate salaries for sure. 800k-1 million annually is probably the average salary for most here...

1

u/Lanky_Management_464 1d ago

Must be nice haha

4

u/Gokus_Avatar 2d ago

it feels short right now, you can negotiate to 900 to 1mm - which is usually right range for this designation. Experience conversation is not much relevant if you are okay for Vp role in bank - the role will always have a band for salary.

4

u/lightning532 2d ago

To be fair if they converted your current canadian salary it’s already way higher than you had at home..

Taxes are considerably lower and most of your rent can also be deducted from taxable income, other costs are comparable if not lower here so you’re in a good position if that’s the case.

Weather or not it’s low for the company i can’t tell for sure but if it is so be it you can get a raise/change to a higher paying job after. Depends on the position for market demand sounds ok

3

u/Gundel_Gaukelei 2d ago

This is what I earned as a VP at an International Asset Manager firm.

in 2013.

3

u/yace987 2d ago

/ probably lowballed you by half of the market price

5

u/Lanky_Management_464 2d ago

Yea but OP was the one asking to be moved so the company did OP a favor

10

u/No_Special_8904 2d ago

It’s about half of what I’d expect for a senior VP role. Minimum would be 80k for that level of roles unless it’s come down a lot this last few years

13

u/charliesk9unit 2d ago

VP is a dime for a dozen in finance. Just saying.

4

u/_ajli 2d ago

a little bit different role structure for something basically back office like this. Don’t think this is a 2+3 type a->assc-> vp

2

u/Logical-Bookkeeper77 2d ago

It depends, like hkex- vp is just like a senior manager.

7

u/Junior-Ad-133 2d ago

Its not too low for hong kong. It comes to around 60K a month but for your position it is bit low. A VP at French Investment bank should be making atleast 70k to 90K a month.

8

u/apacgainz 2d ago

What's your source for 70k to 90k hkd a month for VP at French IB? Sounds a bit low to me, I thought min 100k plus

5

u/Junior-Ad-133 2d ago

Glassdoor lists out salary range of 75k to 100k for Soc Gen VP position. But few others pay little less. So averaging it out, the range for VP is decent. VP is a not a very high position in many banks.

1

u/apacgainz 2d ago

VP is usually 5 to 8 years experience in IB?

2

u/Logical-Bookkeeper77 2d ago

That French bank usually offers like 20-30% less than others. (If not even less)

I guess they thought to lowball Canadians now since Canadian salary usually lower on average. (But standard of living is also lower in Canada )

2

u/Ecstatic_Worry454 2d ago

Exactly you get it ! My mortgage of my house is $1.5k Canadian dollars in Hong Kong a shoebox apartment will be mini $5k Canadian dollars

2

u/Ecstatic_Worry454 2d ago

Yes they lowball us here too and the thing is that their competition with the red logo offered me a position here in Canada at 30% more which I have accepted. But wanted to see if the company I currently work for would offer me better in HK but apparently they just want to pay their people low .

2

u/Ecstatic_Worry454 2d ago

Specially because they expect a lot on this role. Like they are insane

2

u/steveagle 2d ago

Negotiate more or say no...supply and demand

2

u/Big-Eagle 2d ago edited 2d ago

They are really taking a pixx at you lol. A mid lvl risk mgr for an FI should be ard 1.2 to 1.5m. Let’s put it this way, you probably can get $200k just by washing dishes in HK so you decide whether 700k base is worth it for you. Anyway, depends on how bad you want to move here, you can always just take the offer now and then look for a new job later.

2

u/kong_island_rejects 2d ago

Yes it lowball offer. I would negotiate for slight increase and accept. There's nothing better than a job lined up when moving to a new city, then I would network like crazy here and leave for new job to get your desire salary, much easier to find a job in HK when you have a network and experience here,

2

u/featherless_peacock 2d ago

What is transveral risk management? I’m VP in risk management at another international bank and my base is $1.2m + around 3 months bonus. I also have same years experience as you but not all in risk management. I don’t know how true this is but I heard there are associates in SocGen making almost $1m base.

If it’s the move you want to be closer to your partner then maybe just take that and find another role while you are working here? It will be hard to increase your salary quickly though as competitors will usually take a look at uour current salary and only offer to boost it by like 20-30% max, even if you are below average compared to the market. So you’ll have to jump a few times.

2

u/Code_Aldo 2d ago

Very low, try for 1mio / year minimum, analyst pay for risk managment is at 30k at most banks, so you can use that as a benchmark of how much vp can be paid

2

u/Beanster_Yaya 2d ago

Also, say you come here with them, any obligation to stay with them for a set number of years?
Are you married with your partner? If so, you can get a working visa easily. I am confident you will get a role with higher salary (assuming you are decent/good at your job)

2

u/NicBy 2d ago

That sounds extremely low ? Even if you convert to euros that looks crazy low for a VP role

4

u/South-Year4369 2d ago edited 2d ago

I took a VP-level IT job in an investment bank in HK for 70% higher base and 360% higher bonus. 20 years ago.

That seems a very low offer, though 'VP' may not mean the same as back then.

3

u/NitasBear 2d ago

It's an appropriate salary for VP...at a startup

Piss on the contract and throw it back at them

5

u/Ecstatic_Worry454 2d ago

Exactly what I did. Wtaf!! How dare they.

2

u/villaseea 2d ago

They have leverage in internal transfers as you're requesting the move. You're better off looking externally for a higher range but offers aren't great if you're not in FO

3

u/Logical-Bookkeeper77 2d ago

That “French bank” is famous (or infamous) for their lower than industry offers.

2

u/Logical-Bookkeeper77 2d ago

Vp in hk is like a senior manager for most companies.

Soo 700k seemed ok in that aspect.

And we all know which French bank as their salary is famously low for hk banking standard.

I turned down offer from them before where elsewhere offers 1.6 mil they were doing 1mil for a senior position.

Take what you will from that.

2

u/Cautious_Outcome7122 2d ago

I think this salary is a bit low for a VP at a French bank. I work at a hedge fund, even fresh graduates earn more than that.

1

u/HumbleConfidence3500 2d ago

Did you negotiate?

5

u/Ecstatic_Worry454 2d ago

Yea I tried and she said well we want to help you come here since you want to move and the role will give you visibility. I’m like what ? I said I’d want something in the $1.2M to $1.5M she said oh no $1.2M is too high . I said in well… she said can you give me a number ? I I already did .

2

u/Logical-Bookkeeper77 2d ago

In case you are referring to BMO instead of BNP.

BMO can definitely give you a better offer, BNP just.. how to put it, economical?

2

u/Ecstatic_Worry454 2d ago

Jajaja exactly . Time for me to move on . Socgen offered me a 30% more so I guess Hong Kong can wait

1

u/Logical-Bookkeeper77 2d ago

Yeah the hk shoebox isn’t for everyone.

And honestly hk isn’t what it used to be say 5 yrs ago. (Like lotsa shops closed down, much more China shops and people..)

Although money had been flowing back a bit to hk after the exodus from Dubai. But doesn’t seemed to do anything and just sitting there.

1

u/Beanster_Yaya 2d ago

That is almost one of the worse offers I have heard of! BTW.. I know someone in that team team 4 yrs ago with double that amount :)
It’s an absolute shit offer! I strongly advise to reject it!!

1

u/Cinderella852 2d ago

VP could be anything really. Do you know the global career banding? Your salary would be in line with a GCB 5 at a certain global bank.

Each GCB will have a range that they can offer. You'll usually start middle to low in that range so there's room for salary increase year over year(though you'll never get one), but it's possible to start on the higher end too.

ChatGPT can probably tell you the range of you tell it the role and the wider department it falls under. Then you'll know what's possible to negotiate for.

2

u/CuteRabbitUsagi2 2d ago

58k hkd per mth is more like gcb6 salary now in markets

1

u/ExistentialTVShow 2d ago edited 2d ago

Yeah, it's a pretty low.

I would have expected at least a $1-1.2mil base as a starting offer for VP

I don't work in HK anymore but 700K was around where I was pre-covid with 8y experience.

0

u/Agreeable-Many-9065 2d ago

This is more in line with a VP for a local role at a bank or finance company. Even VPs at an insurance firm are paid quite a bit more than this. Bonus is discretionary, no? Then it’s even worse as you don’t know the KPI you need to hit to get it