Etiquette and expectations

[steve416]

@Martalin thanks for getting back to me. A housing allowance sounds like the ideal thing in my situation.

Thanks for clarifying the search info

[Trojan]

Has Search changed their policy?

My friend is English and did not have to pay for Search membership. Something about British laws?

[steve416]

My understanding had been that English law forbids companies from charging a fee for placement/headhunting services.

If the above is correct I think the issue with me is that I am being perceived as being Canadian.

[vandsmith]

ok well, if that's true then be a "brit" to avoid the fee. they'll get theirs anyways in the end if you get hired.

v.

[sid]

I doubt it's as simple as being a citizen. Probably more to do with residency. The UK, powerful as it is, cannot regulate non-UK companies in how they treat British citizens in other countries.
If you are resident outside the UK, and your associate is operating outside the UK, your citizenship is likely irrelevant.

[PsyGuy]

It depends on your residency not your citizenship. If you apply with SA and select David Cope as your associate and you list a UK address you do not have to pay a registration fee.

In regards to housing, again it depends on the IS some have options between supplied housing and a housing allowance, some ISs do not and you must accept whatever housing compensation is available even if it is only one option. Even if you have to accept the housing offered and cant have your girlfriend live with you, you could still choose to live at her place and just keep the IS supplied accommodations vacant

[sid]

This might be a bit pedantic, but it matters to me.
It is not accurate to say one "must" accept what the school offers. If the school makes an offer, you have every right in the world to deny or accept it. The difference matters, because a) using "must" takes the power out of the hands of the teacher and puts it with the school, and b) it seems to suggest that the school has negative motives.

[steve416]

Thank you all for the clarification in regards to Search fees.

@psyguy I am not disagreeing with your point at all. My last comment directed at martalin was meant to state that a school that offered a housing allowance would be ideal, not that I would be able to negotiate a housing allowance if it wasn't a part of their normal package. I have considered us keeping two apartments it seems like an obvious solution to my situation.

[PsyGuy]

@Sid

We agree on two issues:
1) I agree you can always say no, walking away is always an option, a pretty significant option but a valid and viable option.
2) It is pedantic.

@steve416

I apologies i wasnt so much directing the response to you in so much that our forum readership is far more extensive then what is read by our contributors and LWs, and these forums will be available for a very long time and your letter may easily apply to another of our readers.

I have found that recruiters are most likely to offer concessions to tuition waivers (especially if the IS is below capacity) and least likely to negotiate housing and insurance. Tuition waivers (and salary) are internal decisions that are purely within the decision and power of the iS and leadership. Issues such as housing and insurance are less likely because they involve systems and issues external to the iS. In some countries rental properties are paid for a year in advance, thats a lot of money, so ISs rent the apartments and then give the ITs the keys, moving them from IT to IT as contracts begin and end. If an IT wants a housing allowance that means the IS has an apartment they have to pay for and is left empty. Thats a considerable expense.

[hairylemons]

I had the same situation this year. I moved to China, left my boyfriend behind. Then we decided he'd move over and see how he liked it. I never mentioned it to the school {they pay for the apartment} and just told them he was coming for a visit. 9 months later he's still here! the school never said a word, have been great and have sorted out visas for him, bank account etc. Never once have they mentioned that it was 'uncool' for him to be living with me. Im pretty damn happy with that.

You could always say she is coming for a visit, and then boom, she liked it so damn much she got herself a job here :)

[steve416]

@hairylemons: If you don't mind me asking where in China are you?

[vandsmith]

having a BF or GF come with you is usually no big deal, as long as they pay their own way and get their own visa, tourist or other.

the only problem that there could be depends on your location, for example the middle east doesn't allow unmarried couples to live together. although many schools are able to get around this in one way or another, if you're caught and don't have a marriage license it can get messy.

v.

[hairylemons]

steve416 wrote:
> @hairylemons: If you don't mind me asking where in China are you?

Hey Steve, we're located in North East China.