A persons ethnic background doesn't dictate their ability to teach English, however in Hong Kong is pays to be "Western looking". For me this is not a problem because I'm an Australian with some kind of European ethnic background. I've noticed however frustration in Hong Kong from any overseas Chinese who would struggle to find TEFL positions although English is their first laguage. It is a deeper issue then merely descrimination, TEFL is a business and public perception is that overseas people are "English speakers" where local (or local looking) people are Chinese speaker. A school, education centre, etc needs to put up a good image to parents if they want to have a good reputation as a place to learn English.

I've worked with overseas Chinese who have managed to land positions in the same category as those who are "Western looking", however any annoying traits of theirs might be more likely for them to be fired because they really are a dime a dozen compared to those who are Western looking who are harder to find. Would I prefer someone who is Chinese looking to teach me Chinese if I still lived in Australia? I am not sure, to be honest, 'probably'.

You're absolutely right, Dean.  Back in the UK, most companies (my former employers included), no longer even ask about age. race or sex when recruiting, to avoid discrimination suits.  I was surpised when I started applying in Hong Kong, to be repeatedly asked to provide a recent photo, and phone 'intervies' centered on "What colour are your eyes?  What colour is your hair?".  - Crazy!

I just recently qualified but even though i was brought up my whole life in the UK I still have a chilean passport and as you can see I look latin American.  I have never ever taken a UK passport as I'm proud of my roots and also to prove to all those that use the argument that all foreigners are in the UK for a passport, well I am certainly not. Unfortunatley American foreign policy and dictatorships brought me here as a child. Now I find that all those fantastically well paid TEFL jobs that are available to all with 'Passports from English Speaking Countires' are not available to me, even though I have all the qualifications needed. Is this just another hangover of the empire, the advantage to white eurobiased markets?