"(Financial services firms) are getting people who understand the local markets," adds Lim of Value Search Asia. "They will hire a Korean to cover Korean markets, Chinese to cover the PRC. We do see a large inflow of European and U.S. bankers (seeking jobs), but (they are) finding it very difficult to get a job here because they don't understand the local markets. It's a safer bet to pick someone local."

A third question correlates with culture -- literally how far are you willing to go to give "face."

"I recently had a qualified candidate lose out," says Hollands. "He is a Korean national who had lived in Hong Kong but is currently based in Los Angeles. The guy who got the job is a local Hong Konger, and he's here. He had a face-to-face-interview. A phone call or a video call just isn't the same."

"Being here gets you 70% of the way."

Looking ahead two years, the decision to relocate from West to East hinges on whether you believe financial jobs will be easier to find in Hong Kong -- as opposed to London or New York -- and whether you believe you are that much better than the competition.