Job Discussion Forums

parnett · Joined: 29 Jun 2012 Posts: 179 Location: China

After applying for a job at a high school in Shenzhen, I was told that my age (59) was above the limit to obtain a work visa. This is the first time I had heard of this. I have applied at many schools in that area and made sure they were aware of my age, and received no feedback that my age would be problematic. I also had no problem getting my residency visa last year.
At a nearby university, there are foreign teachers in their late sixties. Does anyone have an idea as to what the law regarding age limits for teachers is in China? Does it vary from province to province?

hilena_westb · Joined: 13 Nov 2012 Posts: 130

Google can work wonders - the age limit is clearly shown by a search regarding working credentials in China.

DirtGuy · Joined: 28 Dec 2004 Posts: 529

Apply somewhere else.

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

lemak · Joined: 19 Nov 2011 Posts: 368

I've seen jobs that don't want people over 50. Most others don't mind. Over 60 the offers will wane considerably. Over 65 will become *almost* non existent. Loads of anecdotal evidence on here about people being hired even into their 70s in some cases - however it is rare. Keep looking anyhow - at 59 you're still a veritable whippersnapper, sir. Plenty will be interested in hiring you.

parnett · Joined: 29 Jun 2012 Posts: 179 Location: China

My superior spoke with an official in Guangdong province. Apparently, anyone older than 55 can not obtain health insurance in that particular province; thus, getting a Z visa would be impossible for people in that age bracket. The Chinese government is trying to curb the flow of both Chinese citizens and foreign workers to that province. They have also enacted new laws prohibiting people from traveling to Hong Kong to secure a Z visa from Guangdong province.
I'm sure there are ways to get around this, but I don't have the energy to try.

Javelin of Radiance · Joined: 01 Jul 2009 Posts: 1187 Location: The West

By the time I'm 59 I plan to be out of China and retired in a warm sunny clime somewhere. Hopefully that Cypriot bank where I've invested my money is on more solid footing by then Very Happy

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

When looking at the age of teachers employed at other schools it is important to note that teachers being re hired year after year are in a different category than those looking for their first gig.
My advice having obtained my most recent job at age 65+, is keep looking.
Vocational colleges at provincial level have a harder time recruiting FTs. Stay away from provincial capitals too.
Actually there is very little (if any) difference in salary and conditions - vocational and 4-year degree schools.

roadwalker · Joined: 24 Aug 2005 Posts: 1750 Location: Ch

I'm in Guangdong and I've heard from my FAO that Guangdong won't accept 60 year olds anymore. Whether or not it can be done, I believe my FAO believes it cannot because they have turned down good teachers, which are harder to come by in my neck of the woods.

GreatApe · Posted: Mon Apr 01, 2013 1:24 am Post subject:

Non Sequitur wrote:

DirtGuy · Joined: 28 Dec 2004 Posts: 529

GA,

What do you mean by "staying here? NOT SO MUCH"?

One thing I have learned, and this may help the OP, is that the more rural/3rd tier city you go, the tougher it is for the schools to hire FTs. I'm out in the sticks yet only 2 hours to BJ, and my school has a terrible time recruiting FTs. As long as this situation exists (probably forever) I am not concerned about finding a job.

BTW: I am 56.

DirtGuy

GreatApe · Posted: Mon Apr 01, 2013 2:32 am Post subject:

@ DirtGuy ... I simply meant that foreigners will never become Chinese citizens (at least in most cases) and, therefore, thoughts of retirement and living out the rest of your days in the PRC are suspect and disconcerting at best. Job security is one thing ... citizenship is another thing entirely.

You see ... I don't WANT to go back to America! I have NO desire to return to my country of origin. I may not live out my days in the PRC, but I have no intention of returning to America to die either. That means I must think about what I will do next if/when I can no longer work here (whether by choice or not).

As expats get older, we need to be concerned about what we will do (for work and money) and where we will live. I don't know about you, but I don't currently have enough money to retire on and I'm not married. I still have debt! I'm still living year-to-year on my Z visa and my R.P., which puts me at the disposal of my job and my boss. The older I get, the more reliant I become on my current job and boss. The less options I have.

In many ways, the older I get ... the less flexibility I have (literally and figuratively). So, getting here is easy ... staying here is not.

--GA

mike w · Posted: Mon Apr 01, 2013 7:32 am Post subject:

This old chestnut keeps coming up again and again.

There is no legal upper age limit stipulated by central government for obtaining either a Z visa. RP, or FEC. That is the law, as has been verified by more than one lawyer (Chinese and non-Chinese). I have even had this confirmed from talking to the Exit and Entry Bureau of Beijing PSB.

In saying that, how the provinces ignore, change, interpret, and/or apply the law has always been, and will always be a mystery to us all.

Some times it is not even the provinical government who do this. The schools themselves will often use this as a 'lie' so they can keep their teachers young - it looks better to parents. Or they are worried about rising health insurance, as us 'oldies' are apparently more prone to ill-health.

mike w · Posted: Mon Apr 01, 2013 7:38 am Post subject:

DirtGuy · Joined: 28 Dec 2004 Posts: 529

GA,

I'm pretty much in the same boat as you. Nothing back in the States at this time and not enough money to either retire or start a business. Got a home and commercial property and both are doing OK so maybe that will help in the future.

It's a rare person like mike w. who can handle retiring here and my hat's off to him. I can't envision myself settling down here simply because this place is so weird.

I can see myself working here for quite a few more years and then heading for someplace like the Philippines. There seem to be lots of jobs teaching English online and these could be easily done from there. Nicer people and the cost of living is reasonable. Affordable medical care to boot.

I believe you are limiting yourself by thinking you are at the mercy of your employer. So many other posters have stated the need to specialize and I see the logic of this. Make yourself too attractive to other schools for your employer to risk losing you. I'm going in the direction of IELTS and taking on as much outside work as I can get simply to be able to send more back to the States. My goal is 20 hours per week of privates on top of my uni hours. At this rate, I'm socking away some serious bank and that will give me something to retire on. The idea of a falling dollar and a rising yuan works really well for my plan and I hope both continue their respective trajectories.

DirtGuy