Job Discussion Forums

[tyroleanhat]

One poster mentioned something about a situation where an application in the FEB can be locked. Not sure if I understood this correctly.

The current state of affairs with the uni I first applied is: I signed the contract, the FEB was too picky so it didn't work out in time. FAO wrote I should wait one more semester. (the whole, unpleasant story here http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=114896 )

So I immediately contacted another uni in another province (who's offer I turned down some months before) and it looks they would still take me in this semester. But does this mean now I can't apply for them, because my application is locked? If this is true (cross-provincial application data, new rule as well?) what's my best bet now - can my first employer un-lock me in the FEB, how good are my chances to do so and how quickly can it be done?

[The bear]

[jimpellow]

I am pretty sure you are referring to a remark I made recently. It is in reference to a national computer system that China rolled out to centralize applications. That or it is a revamped version of the Foreign Expert Certificate Management System. They obviously are using some type of primary key (at least now) that is likely composed of the applicant's country of passport issuance along with the passport number. When a first application is initiated, that primary key combination is "locked", preventing further applications with the same combination.

It has popped up before on the board but remains somewhat mysterious. The best information I found out about it was another board. It was written by a foreign FAO who seemed quite with it. She had discovered applicants who were already going through the process at another school and were hedging their bets so to say.

Some aspects I do not know or remember about it...

1. It is meant to be national, but has every jurisdiction implemented it as of today?

2. Is the first school notified if a second application is attempted?

3. Can/will the first school have the application cancelled and under what circumstances will they do so? My gut feeling is there is nothing in it for the first school, and would prefer to have the applicant tied to them. This is the PRC Chinese we are talking about.

I have expressed my opinion before that this is another good attempt gone bad.

I feel for schools that attempt to recruit in good faith and have a no-show as a teacher has accepted another offer. It also now costs schools quite a lot in terms of time and money to get the applicant to the point where the z-visa is granted.

At the same time, having a monopoly over a teacher's ability to come to China opens the door to all kinds of abuse from the school as well.

[portnoy58]

Interesting - I'm in this position and it might have been my recent post in this forum that's being referred to.

I've been told by a FAO in a school that any school can update the FEB system but that it only locks at the point at which the FEC is actually issued, so up to that point it's a race between the schools.

I'll let you know what happens if I get into a race!

[tyroleanhat]

[tyroleanhat]

Also, i thought the FEC you receive in China, AFTER you already have your visa at hand.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but isnt the order supposed to be:
work permit -> Z visa -> FEC -> RP

In which case I would be safe, because it's still a long way to go to even get my visa.

[The bear]

[jimpellow]

"I've been told by a FAO in a school that any school can update the FEB system but that it only locks at the point at which the FEC is actually issued, so up to that point it's a race between the schools."

That is interesting. It does not coincide with what I have read. I would lean towards the FAO being wrong, or that they have updated the procedure.

I would hope it is the latter . It would certainly give the teachers more freedom, and put a fire under the schools' butts to get it done.

[The bear]

[jimpellow]

[hz88]

As with all things in China, the saying "you can't but you can" is often used.

Officially (and I know) the new system does block you from multiple applications. Several schools can key in your details but at the 'submit' stage is when it matches names, and dates of birth, if you have changed your passport number it gives a message 'that a match may have been found and needs a manual review'.

This only happens if a previous school has actually submitted the application. If they have merely entered the data, it won't.

At this point if it became a problem then as we have done, we would ask the foreign teacher if they have applied elsewhere, if they say yes, we first ask them to get it voided. If they are meeting with resistance we usually call the other school and speak to them about it.

All schools have a quota of foreign teachers determined by their licence so one application in progress blocks them from having more than their allowance of teachers so they would need to cancel it anyway at some stage and would have no wish to keep it active if you are no longer taking the job.

[jimpellow]

[portnoy58]

[hz88]

The documents including your degree certificate has to be uploaded before the submission. There is a checklist which needs to be completed before the application can be submitted.

It is after submission that the application is reviewed at the Provincial Foreign Experts Office. They will then either sign it off as okay and allow the school to continue or refer it back for correction or rejection.

Without knowing what the school you initially applied to has actually done or how far they have got it is hard to give definitive answer, if they did submit and it was approved then you will be blocked, if it was only entered in the system but not submitted or was referred or rejected then another school can submit it and if it is subsequently approved then you cannot apply elsewhere.

A lot of teachers simply are not aware of the work involved in this and the cost to the schools, some schools for this reason need to know you are firmly committed to the job.

As sometimes happens, if an invitation letter is issued and the teacher then cancels, changes his/her mind or simply just does not show then the school then has to go through the hassles of going back to the Foreign Experts Office and voiding the certificate before they can even enter the details of a new applicant. Hence my post on another thread regarding why some schools ask you to come first on another visa.

This is of particular importance to schools who have only a few foreign teachers as they simply do not have the breathing space to deal with this and need to be sure. Of course wishing to remain neutral on this topic, it is not just schools who appear to be the bad guys. Some foreigners simply do not show up and are oblivious to the hassles they leave behind for the schools to fix.