Construction Job Opportunities in the UK for Candidates from Hong Kong
Posted by Steve Thomas , Construction Recruitment Director, UK & Canada on Thursday, June 8, 2023
In recent years, many Hong Kongers have decided to take up construction jobs abroad, either temporarily for a few years or permanently. There are a number of possible destinations to consider moving to including Canada. However, with close historical links and similarities in construction methods, the UK is a great location to seriously consider for a number of reasons I can outline below.
Maxim Recruitment are well placed to advise and help with the best UK construction job opportunities for people currently in Hong Kong as we opened our first construction recruitment office in the UK in 2003 and we opened our Hong Kong construction recruitment office in 2011.
Between 23-30th June 2023 the lead recruiters for the UK and Canada territories will be in Hong Kong and available to meet and interview prospective candidates for construction jobs in these locations.
If you are interested in relocating to the UK, Canada or another country please apply with your updated CV to the most suitable job on the Maxim website or just submit your CV for consideration.
Job vacancies are updated on a daily basis but we do our best to keep live jobs posted here:
We always have exciting permanent construction job vacancies for good calibre Quantity Surveyors and Cost Managers at every level of seniority. In addition, there are specialist roles within Loan Monitoring or as an employers agent.
We specialise in claims and dispute roles, that allow good Quantity Surveyors or Planners that have some exposure to dispute related duties such as evaluating entitlements under the contract, or evaluating programme delays and causes of disruption to move into exciting construction claims and dispute roles within either quantum or delay.
For others, perhaps a role within project management, engineering, planning or even as a construction recruitment consultant with Maxim might best suit! We are interested to be in touch with all construction professionals with experience that can be transferred to the UK construction working environment. It is worth noting that UK employers expect a ‘business level’ fluency in written and spoken English to be shortlisted as a candidate for employment.
When considering where to work abroad, work permit/visa and language considerations are paramount. Regarding the right to work situation, we wrote a few years ago now about the BNO scheme that is open to many Hong Kong people that is still operating very successfully. We have helped many construction professionals from Hong Kong into UK jobs via this scheme. Those not eligible for the BNO scheme can also look at other routes to obtaining a work permit, although this is often best researched and undertaken by the candidate as not very many UK construction employers are keen to undertake the process of obtaining work visas for people coming from overseas.
Another important factor to consider when looking at where in the world to work in construction is the vibrancy, dynamism and buoyancy of the construction market in a destination country. It is fair to say that the UK has an excellent reputation for innovation in construction and is a world leader in areas including safety, environmental considerations and in terms of construction partnering contracts such as the NEC. This is important to evaluate because although more money may be available if you go and work in other countries, the experience gained may not be cutting edge and the best to build a strong career with.
Also the UK economy is buoyant, and the UK construction industry remains busy and most significantly, still has a considerable skills shortage. This is a fantastic opportunity for good calibre construction professionals to come to the UK and be offered exciting career opportunities.
The UK has an excellent education system, that is often a priority for people looking to move from Hong Kong to the UK. The UK is also regarded as having a strong cultural offering, particularly in London and the larger cities, offering great music, film, theatre, other cultural as well as great outdoor countryside and sporting and recreational facilities suitable for sportspeople and families alike.
In summary, working in the UK can be a fantastic career and personal opportunity for Hong Kong people with career ambition and who can demonstrate the construction skills and experience that are in high demand in the UK.
Please get in touch with your updated CV if working in the UK sounds of interest and myself or Daria may be able to meet you in person while we are in Hong Kong 23-30th June 2023. If these dates don’t suit or have passed, it will still be possible to meet Richard Poulter, the Maxim Director and Regional Manager who is permanently based in Hong Kong.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Steve is responsible for Maxim Recruitment in the UK and Canada. He is based in the Maxim head office in Leicester, UK and the Toronto office in Canada. He regularly travels to meet employers and job seekers and attend construction industry networking events in the UK, Canada and worldwide. Steve has over 25 years of experience in construction and property recruitment and enjoys working with many repeat clients. He manages dedicated search and headhunting assignments for a range of premium UK, Canadian and international clients.