Job Discussion Forums

[Phat0]

Hello all,

I'm looking to change location after my contract ends later in the year. By that time, I will have served 3 happy years with the same school.

I'm looking to work in Yingkou, or in Shenyang. I have done a Google, search and I know of most places around my desired locations. I want to hear from other who have worked in these areas and what schools are "safe" and don't mess their teachers around. Basically what I have now but in a new city. Can somebody help with useful and practical advice from personal experience?

Thanks in advance.

[The Great Wall of Whiner]

I have lived in the area for the better part of 10 years.

The entire area around Yingkou is under major development, especially the Panjin area. Panjin is a wealthy oil city and the per capita income is the highest in all of Liaoning now. There are more luxury cars registered in Panjin than in Shenyang or Dalian combined. Seeing huge Ford 4X4 pick-ups, Hummers, a Porsche, Aston Martins, MGs, Audis, Lamborghinis, Ferarris... this is a normal every day event around this place.

It never used to be.

Of course, people around here do not get rich by running their businesses fairly. Restaurants, KTVs and bars are always hiring because they get some girls to wait tables for a month then fire them without needing to pay the salary. These girls come from other places within China and do not have the contacts in town to deal with their situation at all. And there are always new workers to be had.

Unfortunately, the same goes for us foreign teachers. Schools will outright LIE on their advertisements to attract teachers and once here take away your passport for "safe keeping" or "it needs processing again"-- whatever excuse they can come up with.

Some schools are desperate to hire foreigners, but they have no idea how to treat their own workers, let alone foreign ones. They openly LIE on their advertisements and have been called out repeatedly. (do a search on English Town Panjin for an example)

There is a Youtube video about teaching in Panjin, but unless you have access to the world wide web (and not the China wide web) you will be out of luck. It has been pulled down from Youku and Tudou every time someone has tried to put it up on it.

Over the years, I have seen dozens upon dozens of foreign teachers come and go. Only 2 of us have been here beyond a 3rd year, and we are both married to locals and have kids here. Only 1 beyond a 2nd year and another almost done his first year. Currently, there are 4 western foreigners registered at the PSB. The other 3 that I know of are registered in another city and stay in town to work. The rest literally get driven out of town by what we in the west would consider abuse. One fellow was literally taken to the train station, bought a ticket to Beijing, and told to get out of town. Another was outright fired for complaining about the pay not being the same as in the contract. Yet another has his passport held hostage and had to call the police to get his passport returned. A friend of mine was forced to sit at a table and every Chinese teacher one by one around the table criticized the teacher until tears came.

That is for Panjin; Yingkou, I do not know the stats at all. But what I do know is Panjin and Yingkou are only a 20 minute drive from each other but they are like two whole different worlds. Yingkou I found to be clean and well looked after. Panjin is a messy "I don't care" town with rubbish all over the place.

Personally, I like Yingkou and would live there in a heartbeat if only there were decent jobs available. I find it visibly far more attractive than Jinzhou, Anshan or Panjin. The Pizza Hut is always filled with expats but the supermarkets are lacking in foreign products like cheese, tampons, etc. whereas in super-developing Panjin, a new mega supermarket opened up and sell pretty much anything you can by in Beijing, rare spices like nutmeg and rosemary included.

The jobs that I have seen offered in Yingkou are abysmal. They offer 4000-5000RMB a month for working 30+ hours a week and getting a proper working visa is sketchy at best.

Panjin's jobs are around the same amount as well. But sadly, the prices of things here are more expensive than Beijing or even often equal to Shanghai. I'd hazard a guess that Panjin is one of the most expensive places to live in China. Housing, food, bills, not cheap. Worse, the FT salaries I have seen are ridiculously low.

As far as I know, there are only THREE places in Panjin that are legally allowed to hire foreigners. These are Talenty, the local training college, and the oil company. In my experience, the oil company would be best to work for, but the pay? Meh... if you are used to making 6000 a month and spending about 200 a day, go for it.

Unless you are married to a local in Panjin and have your own home and are legally registered in Panjin... you will not make or save any money because it is very expensive and the salaries are lower than even the local workers around here.

So to answer your questions: what schools are "safe"?... None that I know of.

If you want specific answers to specific questions, I'd be happy to answer them the best way I can.

A Shenyang international school would be your best bet if money was a primary concern or a proper working visa an issue for you.

[Phat0]

Thank you for a very detailed reply. I agree about Yinkou, nice city and clean air not so expensive. I've been many times. It even has a Tesco, supermarket now.

Most important thing for me is a visa, pay will have to come second place but not that far second.

I have the luxury of time so I'm not desperate. When I came to China, to work I did my research and it worked out well for me first time.

Thanks again Great Wall.

[Gtomas]

I worked in Shenyang for just shy of a year. Any specific questions about the place? Why do you want to go somewhere like Shenyang, learning Chinese?

Feel free to PM .e