Job Discussion Forums

SAF37 · Joined: 01 Sep 2013 Posts: 11 Location: Woodstock, GA

Should someone take a job in China if the employer requests you come over on a tourist Visa? I'm guessing "no" due to the requirement of first obtaining the Z Visa outside of China which makes a person eligible to receive the FRP (foreign residence permit). Am I right on this?

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

Bud Powell · Joined: 11 Jul 2013 Posts: 1736

OP: You've answered your own question. Come over under legitimate circumstances.

Wiganesi · Joined: 02 Oct 2013 Posts: 46 Location: UK

I had a similar thing with employers saying they needed me urgently for certain vacancies so they wanted me to come over on a tourist visa then upgrade it on arrival.

I'm assuming that's also illegal and not advised?

tangal · Joined: 11 Nov 2012 Posts: 47 Location: Da Nang Beach

You might still be able to pull this sort of thing off, depending on the outfit you sign up with, how much $ you have in the bank, etc. I came to China in 2007 (for the second time) on a tourist visa and it was switched to a Z in country, but with so many changes it's probably at lot riskier than before. Some employers might still be able to turn your L into a Z, but legitimate visas are getting harder to come by. One thing's for sure, you won't get all the right answers here. Another option is to come to China on an L and your school changes it to an F, something I know from personal experience was still happening in Shenzhen a couple years ago. If you can get hold of some of the current teachers at the school that wants to hire you and they give you some positive feedback, a green light so to speak, it might be worth a go. Whatever you do, pay little attention to the preachers here who insist everything must be done by the book. This is China, and there are still many ways for foxes and hedgehogs to earn livelihoods here.

johntpartee · Joined: 02 Mar 2010 Posts: 3258

SAF37 · Joined: 01 Sep 2013 Posts: 11 Location: Woodstock, GA

Thanks everyone. Yes, I know that the law about Visas may very well be taken a little lightly. I'm not to sure, I'm a bit of a newbie. The school could have been legit, I suspect it was. However, from all I've read, it's best to err towards caution. The school (which shall remain nameless) seemed nice. I only had one other reservation, though; they wouldn't let me talk to any other teachers, everyone was too busy. It was at that point I had to say "nay". What do you guys think?

rogerwilco · Joined: 10 Jun 2010 Posts: 1549

An employer asking you to work on a tourist visa is only thinking about their own convenience. 99% of the time they really do not care about any possible future inconveniences that you may face.

Being denied access to the current FT's is a huge red flag.

Can you share the name of this school ?

johntpartee · Joined: 02 Mar 2010 Posts: 3258

teenoso · Joined: 18 Sep 2013 Posts: 365 Location: south china

With the new visa regulations , there seems to be a tightening of all aspects of visa issuing and checking, so advice based on what happened even two years ago may be the wrong advice.

Given the nature of Chinese 'law' , I don't believe everyone should do things by the book. 1.3 billion chinese people sure don't , so why should we foreigners. ....
However you should know the risks, and have a contingency plan and and funds in place, in case things go seriously wrong. Some cities seem particularly sensitive /aggressive towards illegal workers and visa-overstayers.

It was or is illegal to work on an F visa (or whatever its new designation is), and people are deported for doing so. However there may be a new work/study category of visa which is presumably legal, and work placements or 'voluntary work' with free acc/food, without the need for z visa /RP are apparently quite common.

Check the other threads about 'converting' visas, because some provinces (like Jiangsu ) are OK with issuing a work visa (Z) in Hong Kong. Whereas others need you to go back to your home country (!)

Some provinces require a criminal records check for the z visa, some don't , but may do so next year ... etc etc.
So not only are the regulations and enforcement changing all the time, but so are local interpretations of those regulations.
Chinese people seem much more comfortable with uncertainty than westerners!

johntpartee · Joined: 02 Mar 2010 Posts: 3258

Denim-Maniac · Joined: 31 Jan 2012 Posts: 1238

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

From D-M
'New teachers with little experience or nothing in the way of related qualification seem to arrive on tourist visas, then change later. We get a chance to have a look at them and ensure they fit in before investing in the visa'.
Boy, does that say it all!!
I'm totally shocked to see this from D-M, a hitherto respected poster on this site.
Unscrupulous.

buffalobill12323 · Joined: 18 Sep 2013 Posts: 115 Location: China

[quote="johntpartee"]

kungfuman · Posted: Sun Nov 03, 2013 1:09 pm Post subject:

In the past it was pretty easy to come over on a tourist or f visa and get it changed but it is not advised these days.

I used to advocate doing it but the door on changing visas - domestically or going to Hong Kong - seems almost closed.

SURE there are some people -and organizations that may have the juice to still get it done but it seems to be far from the norm now.