@geoteach

Well, uhm, kinda, not really, just no. No is better. Its okay though because the general approach is better (in some ways and not better in others) than the MO doctoral route.

That would be the MA Provisional (Entry grade) credential. Its better because:
1) The MA credential will effectively be a lifetime credential and wont even require renewal compared to the MO credential.
2) Both require pro.edu testing. MA requires two and MO requires one, but the MA exams consists of an English literacy exam and subject matter exam in your teaching subject compared to the one meds/peds/asst exam.
3) MO will only give you a credential in the corresponding content area of your doctoral studies. MA would allow you to add multiple credentials allowing you to obtain both Earth and Space Science and the History and Social Studies content areas.
4) MO requires a CRB for credentialing, MA does not.
Ways its worse:
1) Both states require you to complete a NACES evaluation.
2) You can do the Communication Literacy exam and the History/Social Studies exam (two of the MA exams) remotely (at home), but the MA Earth and Space Science (MA exam) and the PLT (MO exam) are available globally but have to be done at a test center.
3) The MA Provisional credential is a"Provisional" credential while MO is a "Initial".
The MA DOE will issue you a MEPID on request to manage your application and materials. It does not require a US SSN.

Its possible you could be appointed to a mid tier IS in China. First its China, theres a a somewhat unique dynamic in China.
Second, probability wise though it depends on what you mean by mid-tier? There are three tiers; first, second and third, if by mid-tier you mean second tier. Probably not. They dont need an IT with a very lite KS/K12 resume whose main selling point is a doctoral degree (assuming you didnt graduate from OxBridge). Social Science and Env. Sci. again are rather saturated, they arent high demand content areas.
Third, if by mid-tier you mean an IS around the 50% point, thats very firmly third tier. Sure you can get teaching something at a third tier IS in China. Theres an appointment for anyone if they will accept anything and a substantial number of those appointments are in China. It may not be all you want though.
Fourth, one of the core aspects of the AO QTS route requires you to teach in two different ISs/DSs. Thats 3 years in before youd have the experience. One two year contract at one IS/DS and then at least one year into your second contract at another IS/DS. You would be hard pressed to find an IS that would offer only a one year contract in China. It would be ill advised if you did. You would be in a foreign country working with a student population and curriculum you have little experience with. Thats not the worst though, its the recruitment cycle. ITs/DTs need to usually provide notice around mid-autumn (late October) So youd get there on the ground and have a month in the classroom before youd have to say your leaving and secure a reference. And because its not a Hello Kitty cupcake without the sprinkles, youd be hard pressed to find an IS that would offer you an OSH package on a one year contract. Youd be lucky to get them talking for just an LH package.
Fifth, another option without as many hoops would be to find an iQTS provider, you can even find some of them in China. The cost and time requirements are the main issues. iQTS costs and takes about three times what AO does.

What are your degrees in, not only your doctorate, since I dont see how youd consider yourself capable from a formal position to teach geography?

In direct response to your inquires:

1) Yes, QTLS is for the further education sector, if you join and maintain membership in the SET than its equivalent to QTS and can teach in England, in K12/KS public/maintained DSs.
You can not convert QTLS directly into QTS as doing so would effectively nullify the SET requirement and QTLS with SET membership exempts you from Induction and the ECT framework.

QTS even as an ECT is a lot more recognized than QTLS (even w/wo SET). If you have the SET membership in good standing, than legally and technically its legal as far as the Dfe and Ofsted (and their BSO inspectorates) are concerned. As for what an individual regions MOE or or immigration/labor ministry thinks or accepts is a different matter.

While you could take the AO route and gain QTS independently of QTLS, Missouri in the US offers a doctoral route to an Initial (Entry grade) credential. This is a four year credential and can not be upgraded to the career (Professional grade) credential, nor can additional fields be added; but can be renewed indefinitely and requires no PD. You must pass the PLT exam (a professional edu meds/peds/asst exam) and a CRB. The exam is a PRAXIS exam and can be taken at testing centers globally.

China is likely to accept the QTLS with SET membership. The more significant issue, and one many Uni professors/tutors have is that teaching secondary (and even more so primary) is much different than teaching at the tertiary level. Its not just 'dumbing' down lecture and seminars. There is a lot more development and work that goes into classroom management, curriculum, lesson design and delivery, and organization and the general work environment. Leaders and recruiters will know this, and you cant exactly hide that you have no formal preparation in professional edu (the trinity of meds/peds/asst). Sure you know the material but thats not the job, the job is transferring it with X degree of efficacy and Y degree of efficiency to young little, still forming minds saturated with hormones.

2) That depends. The IS may be throwing out a wish list of what it would like and depending on the size and structure of the IS and the relevant departments, they may be asking for IGCSE while not intending to assign the IT to anything other than A*. They may also be very insistent and intend the IT to teach IGCSE and by extension other secondary grades/years. You should assume and be prepared to interview for whatever grade/year levels an IS is advertised.

Discussion:

1) Geography is not the most popular subject even at BSs though there is demand for it annually. Outside of BSs and those using the UK NC its not usually found separately in many EUR NC or US NC curriculum.

2) Geology has been a short lived subject in A*. This was the final year to teach it under the OCR exam board and CI doesnt offer it. Outside of that its found as an integrated subject in earth science and to a lessor degree in general science. Moving forward its going to continue to be a core to ENS across various curriculum. You might find more interest in ASs as a lower secondary IT if focusing on your geology background.

3) ESS (Environmental Systems and Society in the IB DIP program) and Env. Sci. in general is one of the most common and popular science courses across the various curriculum, its also one of the most saturated. Typically you find biology ITs in ESS, though your geography angle might give you some advantage when looking at ESS in IBSs, though if its any advantage its a small one, even marginally small. Previous and recent IB experience is far, far more valuable than some content adjacent proficiency. Most ITs in this subject have little problem adapting to the social studies material in the course.

@intltchr

Yes, mailed applications and in person applications are all done at the same place, though mailed ones go to the back office.

You could include the landing slip number in place of the HK ID.

It will be interesting to hear what their reply is. My inquiries have suggested that the way the MOE (EB) is interpreting the black letter reading of the regulation is that its permissive, the MOE MAY issue the RT status (professional grade credential) with a landing slip, but they arent mandated or required to do so. If accurate, there would be a lot of factors that dictate the whimsy one way or the other including where the applicant is from, possible geopolitical motivations, the mood a particular official receiving the application, etc.

Right now the formal response and rational why the landing slip is not sufficient in this case despite the wording in multiple locations is the next step. Though you could try reapplying on a different day different time with a different official. Though the response might be to resubmit your materials with your landing slip or they accept your application and then it becomes moot.

@intltchr

Thats very 'odd'. Ive known numerous applicants, that applied successfully with only a landing slip. The rules been around in this form for a long time, this isnt exactly new guidance. Did you have a negative interaction with them that might have been considered offensive?

You can try to apply by mail to this post:
Teacher Registration Team Education Bureau 2/F, Trade and Industry Tower, 3 Concorde Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong

Or you can attempt to submit an application online:
https://pub-ef-edis.edb.gov.hk/edis/ef- ... &locale=en

These routes may be unsuccessful though as they are going to want to see that each document in the application has been verified by a DS/ IS leadership (dated, signed, and chopped). The application then gets denied, but youd have someone passed the gate that you can then return with saying you attempted to apply in person.

@intltchr

::looking for @Sid::
Depends how long is a piece of string?

Whats cheap and fast to you? It also depends how risk adverse you are when defining "degrees in education with specialism in English", how much English needs to be a part of the program of study.

HK will accept English degrees at either undergrad or graduate degree level so the best value for you in coin would be a Masters. The main issue is going to be how risk adverse are you between a specific TESOL Masters which will very very likely meet the requirements (assuming acceptable accreditation) and a more or less generic Masters in Education. The generic Education masters have much lower costs and generally shorter time to completion, with more open start times.
UPe has an online M.Ed thats about USD$5K and would take about a year, they have rolling admission times so you could start this summer and possibly have your degree in hand for NETs application season next year. Buckingham has an online MA in Edu. thats also about £5K and takes a year, their admission is fixed for Autumn intake, but youd be finished at about the same time as UPe. Both of these degrees though are generic Edu. Masters without an in depth focus on TESOL. UPe would have two literacy courses you could take, this might be enough for the HK MOE. Buckingham doesnt have any.
On the TESOL side. In the UK, Derby has an online MA TESOL that at the accelerated rate would take two years, though you may be able to get some credit for your previous studies to reduce that. The cost is about £8K. In the US, ACE has an M.Ed TESOL that you might be able to get done in a year. The cost is about USD$9K. Both programs have rolling or semi rolling admission dates. You could maybe, get the ACE program done in time for NETs application season next year. Which might also be possible at Derby if you have significant prior learning you can transfer/apply (not likely unless you have a DELTA). Another option might be Horizon Uni. (FR). Its an online, year long, MA TESOL for about €4K, but the main concern is it would essentially be a unaccredited degree.
There are many other options for an English degree. Your next best approach would be looking at returning to your undergrad Uni and doing a second major in English Lit. since most US general Edu. programs require two years of English Lit. courses in the form of a year of composition and a year of literature (genres) thats 12 credits out of a 30-36 hour program. You could possibly complete a second major in a year assuming the right courses are available and you can start with the summer term.
Another option to consider would be doing an MFA in Creative Writing. This would meet the HK NET requirements and is typically considered a terminal degree which might get you doctoral level coin. It would also qualify you for tenure/permanent university level appointments, which might be an option if your goal is to reside in HK long term. Concordia University has an online, two year, MFA Creative Writing program thats about USD$19K. What singles this program out from the others is that you can focus in non-fiction (though there are substantial course requirements in various genres of fiction) you can do your workshops and thesis on non-fiction such as an English Learners curriculum, which would be some form of textbook that youd complete as part of the degree.

No, they wouldnt accept you without the relevant English degree. NET isnt like JET where "acceptance" means a job placement. NET is a funding category. You still have to find an appointment at a DS. The DS though if your eligible (accepted) can apply their NET grant to your employment. A DS could still appoint/hire you from their general staffing fund its just not going to include the housing benefit and will probably be at a lower salary. Thats all NET really is. If you dont meet the requirements for the NET designation you arent going to be eligible for it.

Yes, you can apply for RT status without a HK ID, employment, or permanent residence. You will need to submit your Form 8 with all your documentation including your evaluation from the HKCAAVQ along with a copy of your Landing slip. To do this you must apply in person, which will necessitate your travel to HK to do so.

Yes, you can obtain a work permit by being offered employment/appointment with a HK IS/DS/ES. The same DSs that would hire you under the NET program can do so outside of NET.

Aside from obtaining your RT status (professional grade credential), which will require you to travel to HK to apply, the best thing you can do is go to HK. You will find MANY more opportunities available to you by being on site and able to interview in person. While those who have NET designation can usually arrange meaningful online interviews those outside of the IE circuit generally require in person interviews. You should understand that these will essentially be LH packages on the DSs compensation scale. We are coming up on the main DE recruiting time in HK which starts in May. Id plan for a month to get your RT credential in hand and provide you several weeks of interviewing and applying.

You should understand that NET is shrinking two fold. First, it is and always has been an expensive program to fund and the HK government sees this is an easy budget cut to make. Second, with the new grant scheme options there’s a lot of interest in Dis taking the staffing grant that will allow them to hire less expensive TAs/ATs an ETs allowing them more flexibility in their staffing. Its likely that the number of full NET DTs is going to shrink substantially.

Hej, Hej

I would echo @Heliotrope as well, TW and JP would have equivalent safety as SG. I would also add SK for Asia. Beyond Asia, I would add NE (Scandinavia) Sweden, Finland, Norway, and Denmark. I would also include Belgium and Luxembourg; personally, I would also add Switzerland and Austria.
Twenty six though isnt seventeen, if you define "safe" to exclude verbal harassment a lot of other places open up; Italy for example would be fine, though misogyny seems to be baked into the DNA of some Italians who cant help the occasional catcalling.
My no go places would be the ME (Middle East), Africa, EE (Eastern Europe), the LCSA (Latin Central South America, the Caribbean, and Türkiye. In other regions verbal harassment and petty theft might be issues (though petty theft would be something everyone has to deal with).

Disclaimer: ** THIS IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE**

Short Answer:

Offer letters are not contracts; they are worth almost zero in some places and actually zero in many places.

Long Answer:

The first issue is what you mean by "legally binding". From which most ITs mean what do they need to be successful in some form of tribunal action that they can enforce on the IS.
Typically, to enforce a contract you have to have a contract to begin with. In employment matters this is generally accepted that the standard is an actual contract that conforms to the regulatory requirements of the region. Offer letters dont usually meet this standard, and an ISs legal team is going to start with that issue to begin with. The grey area is that more common in western jurisdictions an offer letter can with successful argument form the basis of a contractual agreement, often as part of a verbal contract. You find it much less common of an option is Asian and ME regions. What an IS is going to argue is that the offer letter isnt a contract but 'consideration' of a potential future contract that may not materialize (be executed) in the future. They will argue the offer letter promises nothing and only suggests further consideration.

The second issue is what is meant by "protections", which usually means what enforcement options does an IT have against an IS. Contrary to most ITs thinking, contracts dont offer much in the way of protections. You are not in the VAST majority of circumstances ever going to realize full performance in terms of the fully yearly salary plus other comp if an IS breaks contract prior to commencement of work. Every work agreement has some exit or termination provision either in the contract, part of a policy, or contained in some form of regulation. In most cases youre going to get some variable of X weeks/months in termination, dismissal, or severeness. Thats essentially it. The IS is going to dismiss you; whether its a formal termination, withdrawal of an offer, or voiding of a contract. The only issue really isnt are they going to give you a years worth of coin, its whether they have to remit some number of days to you in salary. Its to an ISs benefit thus to 'withdraw the offer', because it doesnt acknowledge to begin with that the offer was a contract, and thus they owe you nothing. If you actually have a contract than the ITs position is a bit btter as they may have to provide some valid cause for voiding the contract, but while thats an actual hurdle its a low one. Absent that if the IS has to dismiss you to terminate the contract then they would have to comply with whatever separation requirements either in the contract or provided by regulations. Usually this isnt a lot, its typically a months salary (sometimes two and rarely three). Usually it doesnt include any costs or expenses incurred as part of the relocation allowance/benefit (part of the OSH package). So youre not going to get reimbursed for CRBs or visa/immigration expenditures. An IT also isnt going to get reimbursed for any airfare or other travel expenses they have incurred. Leadership thinks you havent done anything for them so the severance or separation they have to provide you is your reimbursement. In their mind they owe you nothing.

Really though, protections and enforcement all assume you have access to whatever tribunal system you would have to pursue a claim and remedy through (often this may mean some type of civil court). The vast majority of ITs simply dont have access to the civil judicial system to file suite (either themselves or through legal counsel) to recover damages, even if they can make a claim for the full contract value. In the majority of regions this means that what an ITs can file remotely is a complaint with a labor board or union. The IT files a complaint and sends the documentation they have. The IS is going to argue the offer letter isnt a contract, and they owe the IT nothing. If that isnt successful then they will argue that the contract was voided for cause (which they will have to provide and prove), and they owe the IT nothing. If they are unsuccessful and the IT wins then either two things happen, but they ultimately have the same outcome. Either the IS will be required to employ the IT or pay the IT whatever the separation/severance requirement is (and they might, maybe get reimbursement for expenditures). They might also get some multiple of that separation/severance amount in damages if the IS acted in bad faith (but its rare). If the IS is required to employ the IT, the IS will simply and immediately dismiss the IT. Theres very likely some probationary period or lack of tenure protections in the early periods of an employment agreement. Regardless, they will have to pay the separation/severance coin. In either case a successful outcome only amounts to a very small portion of the annual salary or contract coin.

If an IT pursue whatever protections or enforcement remedies they have, if the IT used a premium recruiting agency they will likely get dropped. Even if the agency agrees its unfair there is very little they can do, they cant make an IS do anything. With the best remedy they have being dropping the IS, but thats usually bad for business. Pursuing formal action is something the agency rep will discourage and advise against. Often it comes down to, if the IT drops the matter the agency will continue to rep the IT, maybe even extend their membership or agree to "help" the IT in some additional way (often helping them to find another job), but if they pursue formal action against the IS then the agency will drop them.

There isnt much beyond that. ITs have a lot of delusions about whats available to them. To give you some clarity:

1) Embassies have almost zero influence. In some cases an embassy will have some minor amount of influence with an IS (through some kind of association with the embassy) but in only the most egregious cases will an embassy even provide a modicum of intercession on an ITs behalf. They really dont have any power to make a phone call and make an IS do anything.

2) Accrediting agencies dont care. Employment matters are almost exclusively outside the realm of accreditation, especially when there isnt any misconduct or academic dishonesty. Even if there is, even in cases where an IT is a whistleblower on organized academic dishonesty, the remedy is ultimately at worst the withdrawal of accreditation rather than some kind of compensation or reappointment of an IT to a position. Accreditation agencies just dont have the kind of power needed to make an IS do anything in that regard.

3) Local Courts and tribunals have no jurisdiction. Suing an IS in your local home jurisdiction will amount to a lot of nothing. The IS will ignore the complaint likely depositing it directly in the bin and trash. Even if they do respond, it will amount to a letter stating the Court has no jurisdiction over the IS or its leadership. This applies equally to legal letters written on the ITs behalf either from some associations office of counsel or private legal counsel. ISs know the only legal process that matters is the one in their region not the ITs.

4) Credentialing bodies do not see employment disputes as misconduct. This works both ways, but you cant report a leader for misconduct over an employment dispute (well you can but it will go nowhere), nor can leadership file a misconduct allegation over an employment dispute either. The exception to this is in some regulatory jurisdictions a credential can be sanctioned for contract abandonment, but in IE this is an empty threat as the requirement is that the contract abandoned must be in the jurisdiction of the regulating agency and/or a regulated DS (public/, maintained DS).

5) Social Media may be the greatest tool an IT has. ISR cant make an IS do anything nor is there any type of legal defense fund. If an IS wants to keep things quiet the threat of public exposure may be the best tool an IT has. An IT isnt going to get much more than an IS would have to remit through a formal complaint process though. Usually the best deal an IT can get is a months (maybe a terms worth) in salary and/or reimbursement of expenses. This may or may not come with the condition of an NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement). The IT gets a small amount of coin in exchange for not filing any complaints, or publishing any reviews.

@Intl.Teach

So you have no direct knowledge its all just hearsay.

Reputation isnt credibility and even less so validity. Its just some reporter with an opinion.

Its not contradicting at all. You dont know the meaning of 'and', you confuse it with 'or'. They both dont need investigating but since you appear to ignore everything after and. Miss Pedos abuse has been investigated AND the victim might have a hygiene problem. The former is of much greater grave concern than the latter.

I really do.

Theres no contradiction the victim can suffer Miss Pedos abuse AND the parents may be slightly neglectful. The childs hygiene issue may be of the childs own doing. This level of neglect if it is truly neglect is extremely minor.

Yes, the ship sailed and Miss Pedo along with it, its called evading and fleeing. Youre still confusing extradition with exoneration. Miss Pedo is still a fugitive and still has an active red notice for her arrest. No agreement or treaty between Türkiye and the UK requires Türkiye to accept the UKs refusal to extradite as exoneration on the merits. Türkiye doesnt need to appeal the UK Courts, the UK Courts dont have any authority over the Turkish ones.

Neither do you have a crystal ball and have any idea what the ECHR in Strasbourg would rule. Youre just guessing.

Yes, youre excessively repetitive, dont know Turkish law. Dont know the definition of words, continuously confuse legal terms such as extradition and exoneration, youre a cultists with confirmation bias.
Miss Pedo is a fugitive, hopefully will be convicted in absentia. Crocodile tears to avoid prosecution and responsibility for her crimes. If she was innocent Miss Pedo would defend herself, though her depression about a length term of incarceration against strong evidence and a known victim, its no wonder she chooses the life of a fugitive.

First, ITs generally cant contribute their annual bonus/gratuity or separation benefit to an IRA. IRAs have to be funded with taxable income. If you exclude the foreign earned income to avoid paying US tax on it then its no longer eligible for investment in an IRA. You could isolate just that end of year or EOC payment and declare it, then use the standard deduction to not owe tax on it and contribute 100% of it to the IRA, but there are plenty of long term investment products that you can utilize without doing the US tax gymnastics. At the end of the day an IRA is just a tax defered investment account, not tax free. You either pay the taxes in advance at contribution or you pay them down the road when you make withdrawals.

Second, getting SS credits is usually beneficial, but managing real property isnt the only way. There are a lot of companies an IT can form doing providing a variety of services or selling product. The issue is that earning those credits requires paying taxes, at the very least Simplified Employee Pension (whats often referred to as Self Employment Tax), and since the IT is the employer the IT essentially pays their contribution and the employer contribution at around 15%. Thats in addition to federal income and possible state income tax as well. You can use a company (as CEO, etc.) to cycle the ITs income through the company as comp but while the SEP is a pension program the tax is not.

Third, if the USD$25K/$50K is annual savings, which I suspect it is, thats not realistic in a lot of scenarios and regions. There are a lot of places an IT wouldnt have that kind of net coin even available to them. For some of them it wouldnt even be necessary, as they would be in regions with a social pension scheme already available to them.

Fourth, controlling spending is certainly an advisable strategy is saving is the ITs goal and that goal is their priority. Not every IT considers saving and retirement planning a priority.

Fifth and Finally, never listen to anyone on TikTok.

@Intl.Teach

So no, you havent seen them. Youre just guessing based on third . opinions.

Camilla Tomineys opinion is worth just as much as any other ley persons opinion, zero.

There can be abuse AND a hygiene issue, both of those can be true. You dont know that they arent. Trial is a mechanism for determining that.

I know a great deal about this case. You are the one with confirmation bias.

No theres a victim, someone abused or neglected that child making them a victim or abuse or neglect.

A trial process Miss Pedo is evading.

No, Miss Pedo doesnt have such a ruling on the case. She has a ruling denying her extradition to Türkiye. There has been no ruling on the merits of the case. Miss Pedo is a fugitive as defined by Turkish law, with an active red notice for her arrest and detention.

@NellyPB

No, theres a victim.

As evidence, but how do you know these photos are "worrying" have you seen them?

Yes, and why would you attempt to scapegoat someone with such a bizarre narrative and hiding crimes is much more difficult to do when you put them under the microscope of an investigation.

This is sounding like DARVO. Alternative lines of investigation were not followed because they have the perpetrator.

Its not hard to believe a family member can be an abuser at all, its just not the case here, its Miss Pedo.

@NellyPB

Your error is the presumption that this is a miscarriage of justice. The term you really mean is 'confirmation bias', you think/feel/believe that Miss Pedo is innocent so it must be a miscarriage of justice, but thats just something you think.

No, its not a point to consider, Miss Pedo is a Fugitive, theres no difference between her and someone committing a serious crime and fleeing to a non-extradition state. Innocent people dont run or hide.

This case doesnt need to only be congruent with the most popular, abuse cases happen in a less than majority of other locations and environments, it doesnt make them less abusive.

Theres a victims, there the victims guardians, theres a government willing to prosecute, thats enough minds and bodies to warrant a trial. Im not interested in playing Trumpian "What-about-isms".

Yes it could be trauma. Yes the parents could be experiencing mental trauma and anguish about having their child abused, that might have required processing and thus the delay. Victims can be sexually assaulted and go years without reporting and sometimes are never reported at all, in comparison three days doesnt seem all that long or sus.
Yes they are acting in the best interest of their child. If they were some how the real perpetrators bringing the entire issue under a microscope with these proceedings seems very unwise compared to concealing the abuse, if the parents are the cause.

@Heliotrope

We disagree.

@Heliotrope

You may have meant that but you didnt write that.

It wasnt obvious, throughout that entire paragraph you made reference to "China" and not specifically HK.

Agreed, very minor differences.

COL is interconnected in almost all the categories (energy, food, etc.) that would matter to an expat. The only category where it may be significant is in housing and specifically in terms of construction materials and equipment. Land differs but that tends to be a local issue rather than an intra-regional issue.

That might be. NI may be a hidden gem, but I still havent heard a single Brit that wants to retire there, but maybe they are keeping it a secret to themselves.

Its interesting... in much the same way the quote "may you live in interesting times" is interesting.

@Intl.Teach

Evidence and witness statements are not facts. I have considered them and formed a position different than yours. Your position is no more true or valid than my position is, because you dont have facts.

Again, Türkiye could try her in absentia, they have done it before. Your obvious lack of knowledge in Turkish law not withstanding.

Its necessary if Miss Pedo is guilty of the accusations against her. Thats how the child victim(s) get justice. The Turkish government doesnt think the trial process is unnecessary. Their position matters a lot more than what your "MOST people" believe.