Job Discussion Forums

danlevesq · Joined: 21 Nov 2012 Posts: 4

Hi all,

Me and my girlfriend are planning to move from Canada to Chengdu at the beginning of June, and were wondering if it'd be wise to get a student visa and residence permit prior to searching for English teaching jobs (from what I've read, the new visa rules allow international students to take on 'part-time work'). We've already begun searching for a few putonghua language schools capable of supplying us with the necessary paperwork, and while we are interested in actually learning the language, our primary goal is to secure jobs as English teachers for at least one full year.

The X visa route would be beneficial to us in a few ways:
1) While I do have a TEFL certificate and 6 months prior teaching experience in China (Zhejiang province), I've just completed by BA, and won't receive the physical copy of my degree until mid-June, which would significantly delay my receiving of the Z-visa paperwork from the China side. Getting an X visa would allow us to get into China and begin working sooner.
2) My girlfriend doesn't have a degree, TEFL, or any experience, and would have some difficulty getting a Z-visa (as I discovered when I taught in China a year ago), so an X-visa would probably be more realistic for her. A few potential employers have advised her to get an 'F' visa instead, but wouldn't this be as bad as working on a tourist visa?
3) We would be able to actually visit our potential employers in person beforehand, so there would be much less chance of either of us getting screwed over or accepting a bad position from overseas (and I saw a LOT of this when I was there before).

So, should we go the easy route with the X visa, or just be patient and secure jobs that can supply us with solid Z visas? Also, would it be advisable to enter China on an X visa, get a residence permit, and then attempt to switch to a full-time work permit afterwards?

Thanks for any advice,
Dan

fat_chris · Joined: 10 Sep 2003 Posts: 3198 Location: Beijing

danlevesq · Joined: 21 Nov 2012 Posts: 4

Thanks for the quick replay Chris,

I got this information from a blog:

NoBillyNO · Joined: 11 Jun 2012 Posts: 1762

Just like the west, there is a certain number of hours needed to qualify of a student visa... and attendance is mandatory....there are two types of Student visas... one you can work on and one is just for study. Also the type of work may be limited by the PSB/labor department...

Some dodgy schools have told me they could get a student visa but these schools are Chinese language mills... and they may repoert you as in attendance to protect their tuition but lately some of these schools have gotten into trouble when audits were done...

Sounds like you want a job and a work permit.. via a z visa...

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

china law is flexible. china law is fluid. china law is unique. no matter what
you can find online in some unofficial blog, or even on a visa service website,
telling you you can 'legally' do something, the reality is not always clear.

in your case, or probably most cases, 'they' are gonna look at your intent.

when you get caught/questioned, 'they' are gonna compare how many
hours are you working (20?) to the number of hours you're studying (3?).
pretty obvious the intent is to work, not to study. wrong visa.

on the other coin, if you're studying 15 hours and tutoring 3-4 hours on the
side, then you're obviously a student.

appearances aside, the chinese aren't stupid. the idea behind the new law
is to allow REAL students to do what had been previously (gray area-ish)
illegal, to earn a few renminbucks tutoring local students, not for unqualified
'teachers' to take full-time jobs under false pretentious.

they offer working visas for, well, um, like.....working.

fat_chris · Joined: 10 Sep 2003 Posts: 3198 Location: Beijing

I was waiting for others to comment before my peanut gallery sloppy self chimed in. I shall do so now.

OP, I shall echo what the above have noted: just do what it takes to get the Z-visa even if that will take longer to do so. It'll be less headache and hand-wringing in the future.

Warm regards,
fat_chris

fat_chris · Joined: 10 Sep 2003 Posts: 3198 Location: Beijing

Plus...

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

fat_chris · Joined: 10 Sep 2003 Posts: 3198 Location: Beijing

danlevesq · Joined: 21 Nov 2012 Posts: 4

Thanks for the replies,

It did seem a bit too good to be true when I initially read the X visa changes. My instinct is usually to just give it a shot and assume things will work out fine, but I know that isn't always realistic (I mean, I don't really want to be deported and banned from returning to China). Obviously the system isn't setup to be abused, and 'they' would most certainly see that my intent is primarily to teach, rather than study.

Cheers,
Hating the paperwork grind.

fat_chris · Joined: 10 Sep 2003 Posts: 3198 Location: Beijing

danlevesq · Joined: 21 Nov 2012 Posts: 4

fat_chris · Joined: 10 Sep 2003 Posts: 3198 Location: Beijing

fat_chris · Joined: 10 Sep 2003 Posts: 3198 Location: Beijing

Bud Powell · Joined: 11 Jul 2013 Posts: 1736

I don't understand why people constantly look for angles around the law and put themselves in compromising situations.

The OP should just marry his girlfriend, get a spousal visa, then if they want to split when they return to the U.S., they can get an inexpensive uncontested divorce. That would be a lot more sensible and less trouble than what the OP has proposed. With no credentials, his gf can't legally work as a teacher.

On a student visa, a work permit most likely wouldn't get her much of a teaching job because she has no credentials to teach. With a marriage license, she'd (at least) gain legal entry into China. Once she's legal, she can try to work something out; but to arrive in China with the specific intent to break the law (i.e., work) is a plan for disaster. China is not always the unforgiving place that many western countries are. In China, sometimes there are no penalties; sometimes, there's a mere slap on the wrist; sometimes there's a huge fine; sometimes there's deportation.

Having two out-of-four possibilities resulting in great discomfort should make one think twice before trying to circumvent the law. Contrary to popular belief in the U.S. and other western countries, China is NOT the Land of Milk and Honey for those in need of employment.

THE WORST place for legal advice about living and working in China is an expat forum. What is tolerated in one city in province may not be tolerated in another, so ADVICE MILEAGE WILL VARY FROM SOURCE TO SOURCE.

The safest thing is to arrive in China with a bullet-proof visa, THEN look for profitable opportunities.

Anecdote: last summer, I was on vacation in the States. The twenty-something waiter made a comment to the effect that it was his last week working at the restaurant. He said that he was headed to China "to make some REAL money" as an English teacher. He said that the only qualification needed was to be able to "speak English real good".

I wished him well.