Job Discussion Forums

[eihpos]

Does anyone know the age limit in Guangdong? Guangzhou specifically. It’s strictly 60 where I am, meaning you have to leave when your 60 no matter how much they like you. Is it the same in Guangzhou? or can you work until older (if already in a job when you turn the dreaded 60)

Thanks

[Simon in Suzhou]

Like everything in China- It depends.

The official age limit is 60. But if a school has guanxi with the govt there are always ways around the rules. I know of several teachers sent packing at 59+ from Guangzhou cuz they couldn't get residence permits. At the SAME SCHOOL I also know a teacher over 60 is still working and getting residence permits, BUT he has been at the school for many years (like 15). So maybe length of service has some sway. Maybe the school just likes them and is pushing to help them. I dunno. It's weird.

I think its nearly impossible to start a new job in Guangzhou if you are 60. It also seems unlikely you can come in at 58 or 59 and expect to stick around. But who knows. I would say talk to the schools about it, but I doubt any school is gonna tell you anything but the official govt line when they don't know you.

Good luck!

[teenoso]

Not directly relevant, but the retirement age for local Chinese teachers may have changed, or be changing.
In my college a (youngish) teacher told me he will retire at 65; whether that is true for older teachers now is not clear. I am not in Guangdong,

Anyway, my guesses are:
some provinces are not strict about the age limit for foreign teachers, and it may also vary from city to city, depending on how easy it is to recruit FTs

some schools can sometimes find special reasons to continue with an older , over 60, FT..... but

they are unlikely to try or be successful in this for new hires who are over 60.

[claka77]

When I was in Guangzhou (at a level 3 college with accommodation in Tianhe Bei) I replaced a teacher from NZ who was well into her 60's; I think the college had some Guangdong but she was registered in a rural inland province. I don't know how they did this as it could've been a big problem if the teacher got very sick or got questioned by the police. Generally I think 60 is the cutoff age at the moment but I'm guessing that one day it'll go up.

[claka77]

Guanxi I meant