Job Discussion Forums

dogUNLEASHED · Joined: 07 May 2008 Posts: 42

How often do teachers in China get rooked on the airfare reimbursement?

DosEquisX · Joined: 09 Dec 2010 Posts: 361

Haven't heard stories about unis shafting people on airfare. Private academies are certainly known for being quite unscrupulous though.

Non Sequitur · Joined: 23 May 2010 Posts: 4724 Location: China

Sometimes the refund gets to you as you're leaving and that can be scary ie' 'These guys know I'm committed to fly tomorrow and still no cash'.
I think sometimes also, there is a bit of quiet enforcing going on to make sure you lodge your marks with the teaching dept and pay any outstanding utilities if owing.

The Great Wall of Whiner · Joined: 29 Jan 2003 Posts: 4946 Location: Blabbing

It is not usual, but it does happen. You need to check for precedence. No-name mom and pop operations tend to shaft the teachers a little bit more than huge corporations. But things are changing and I have heard a growing number of foreigners unhappy. It is becoming more and more common, especially if a teacher decides not to stay a second year. The school can simply use that money to pay a recruiter to find a new foreign teacher.

In another unnameable country, it became so common at one point that schools had to pay upfront airflights in order to get a foreign teacher. I believe that it is still pretty common to get upfront flights in that particular land.

In my last school here, I insisted on an upfront flight, which I got. Now however, there are so many foreigners looking for work, my last school will have no problem finding a new teacher without the need to offer upfront flights.

If you have some concerns, mind them well but don't be paranoid about them. Check out past teachers from your school. If they were shafted, chances are you are next.

The Great Wall of Whiner · Joined: 29 Jan 2003 Posts: 4946 Location: Blabbing

It is not usual, but it does happen. You need to check for precedence. No-name mom and pop operations tend to shaft the teachers a little bit more than huge corporations. But things are changing and I have heard a growing number of foreigners unhappy. It is becoming more and more common, especially if a teacher decides not to stay a second year. The school can simply use that money to pay a recruiter to find a new foreign teacher.

In another unnameable country, it became so common at one point that schools had to pay upfront airflights in order to get a foreign teacher. I believe that it is still pretty common to get upfront flights in that particular land.

In my last school here, I insisted on an upfront flight, which I got. Now however, there are so many foreigners looking for work, my last school will have no problem finding a new teacher without the need to offer upfront flights.

If you have some concerns, mind them well but don't be paranoid about them. Check out past teachers from your school. If they were shafted, chances are you are next.

therock · Joined: 31 Jul 2005 Posts: 1266 Location: China

The biggest change to airfare allowance is the amount itself. Before most schools would provide reimbursement on the full amount provided you had a receipt, in the absence of a receipt they would look up the lowest airfare to your country and give you that. Nowadays most schools state in the contract an airfare allowance of somewhere between 6000 - 9000.

choudoufu · Joined: 25 May 2010 Posts: 3325 Location: Mao-berry, PRC

you might want to amend the contract, depending on...

do you want a reimbursement (unlimited? reasonable? maximum)
and will show a receipt?

do you want an allowance that you can spend on taobao.

therock · Joined: 31 Jul 2005 Posts: 1266 Location: China

Non Sequitur · Joined: 23 May 2010 Posts: 4724 Location: China

The school may justify the lower allowances as the Chinese airlines (Southern, Hainan etc) have vastly expanded their services. I know on some routes they are discounting like mad.
Those discounts may not be available in FT home countries especially if you don't have time to book well in advance ie your visa arrives late.
With normal lead time I can't get a return on Qantas, Cathay or Air NZ for less than RMB10000.

shadowrider · Joined: 05 Feb 2012 Posts: 208

Non Sequitur · Joined: 23 May 2010 Posts: 4724 Location: China

I don't think we're out of synch here shadow.
The FAO phones Hainan Air and is told a Beijing-Sydney and return is RMB8000.
That's what they base their allowance policy on.
Doesn't matter to them that an FT originating in Sydney can't buy a Sydney-Beijing and return ticket on Hainan for under the AUD equivalent of RMB10000.
The actual figures (RMB8000 or RMB10000) don't matter it is the gap between them.
One FT at my last gig came to China on a one-way. The FAO arranged for the flight back on a Chinese airline whereby the FT had to meet a dodgy geezer at the school gate and hand over the RMB in exchange for the ticket.
My guess is that someone in the airline is trading tickets on their own behalf.