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Guru_Ann
Joined: 23 May 2014 Posts: 3 Location: Australia
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Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2014 11:16 am Post subject: Age limits for China Z Visa and work permits |
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I'm trying to find out the actual age limits for visas and permits to work in China. There seems to be a fairly vague knowledge amongst the ESL community and I've heard of quite a few older teachers there. I'm 54, female, a teacher who's had a 7 year break and trying to get a teaching job in China. I've had some recruiters quite interested, then reject me with the reason, " Age is the issue ". Has anyone else had problems? Or successes? Any comments, tips or experiences would be greatly appreciated. Thanks  |
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Piper2
Joined: 13 Jun 2014 Posts: 146
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Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2014 11:59 am Post subject: Re: Age limits for China Z Visa and work permits |
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Guru_Ann wrote: |
I'm trying to find out the actual age limits for visas and permits to work in China. There seems to be a fairly vague knowledge amongst the ESL community and I've heard of quite a few older teachers there. I'm 54, female, a teacher who's had a 7 year break and trying to get a teaching job in China. I've had some recruiters quite interested, then reject me with the reason, " Age is the issue ". Has anyone else had problems? Or successes? Any comments, tips or experiences would be greatly appreciated. Thanks  |
I am not sure, but I think, in all of China the age limits will (at some point) be changed to 60 for women and 65 for men, and currently are 55 and 60. In rural or less attractive areas or if the school has a good relationship with the authorities age limits might be ignored.
Try looking on this blog: http://lawandborder.com it has lots of useful visa-related information. |
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doogsville
Joined: 17 Nov 2011 Posts: 924 Location: China
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Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2014 10:17 pm Post subject: Re: Age limits for China Z Visa and work permits |
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Guru_Ann wrote: |
I'm trying to find out the actual age limits for visas and permits to work in China. There seems to be a fairly vague knowledge amongst the ESL community and I've heard of quite a few older teachers there. I'm 54, female, a teacher who's had a 7 year break and trying to get a teaching job in China. I've had some recruiters quite interested, then reject me with the reason, " Age is the issue ". Has anyone else had problems? Or successes? Any comments, tips or experiences would be greatly appreciated. Thanks  |
I wouldn't say the knowledge of the ESL community is vague, Piper 2 hit it pretty much on the head above. What is vague is how the 'law' is interpreted and applied in China. These things are often considered more as rules, and the application varies from province to province, as well as city to city. If a school likes a teacher and wants to employ/keep them and has the guanxi, then they can obtain the necessary permit regardless of age.
Often the reason people give contradictory answers or won't commit to a definitive answer to any question regarding laws and regulations in China is because their experiences are different. What happens in one school may the opposite of what happened in the school next door.
Also I would bear in mind that the 'age issue' that the recruiters you have dealt with are referring to may have nothing whatsoever to do with visa regulations. It may be that the employers they are dealing with only want 'bright young things' to work for them. Sadly, expertise and experience carry little weight with many employers here in China. Especially among private schools, image is everything. Twenty something white skinned blondes, preferably female, have the highest value, though they don't get paid more. I would say it's probably a good thing for you in the long run, given your experience. It may take longer, but you're much more likely to be valued by whatever school you end up in if they don't care about age, skin colour etc. |
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Guru_Ann
Joined: 23 May 2014 Posts: 3 Location: Australia
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Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2014 2:11 am Post subject: |
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Thanks Piper2 and Doogsville. I think you have actually confirmed my suspicions. I am also unable to start work until November, and I think that is affecting my chances as most of the school teaching jobs (as opposed to the training centres like Wall St and EF) commence at the beginning of September. Frustrating It makes me wish I was still in my twenties and blond with heaps of energy for night teaching. |
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The Great Wall of Whiner

Joined: 29 Jan 2003 Posts: 4946 Location: Blabbing
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Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2014 4:10 am Post subject: |
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Age limit for visa is not 53. It is probable that the school wants younger blood that is easier to "control" or more "energetic" ...
If they have a choice between hiring a 53 year old person or a 33 year old, guess who they will choose 99/100? |
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Alien abductee
Joined: 08 Jun 2014 Posts: 527 Location: Kuala Lumpur
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Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2014 3:02 pm Post subject: |
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The Great Wall of Whiner wrote: |
Age limit for visa is not 53. It is probable that the school wants younger blood that is easier to "control" or more "energetic" ...
If they have a choice between hiring a 53 year old person or a 33 year old, guess who they will choose 99/100? |
Tell us. They might choose the younger applicant or they might not. Depends on the school and the people applying. China's actually one of the easier countries with regards to age and getting a teaching job, and 60 seems to be the generally (not universally) accepted cut-off age. Even then if a school is willing to take the time and effort they can apply for a waiver on behalf of older teachers when applying for the work permit. |
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Lancy Bloom
Joined: 23 Nov 2012 Posts: 126 Location: Hong Kong
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Posted: Sun Aug 10, 2014 12:01 am Post subject: |
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No brainer. They want young well endowed women who can sing and play the guitar. The most important attribute is being able to hold ones liquor at KTV's. It helps a lot to be approachable for fondling. |
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Guru_Ann
Joined: 23 May 2014 Posts: 3 Location: Australia
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Posted: Sun Aug 10, 2014 12:51 am Post subject: |
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Thanks everyone. I found a job in Changzhou at an international college! It looks really good and I'm in the process of visa application etc. It sounds perfect for me and they were flexible with age and start times so I can begin my contract in November. Exciting  |
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IWTFanAT
Joined: 02 Jul 2014 Posts: 36
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Posted: Sun Aug 10, 2014 1:00 am Post subject: |
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Lancy Bloom wrote: |
No brainer. They want young well endowed women who can sing and play the guitar. The most important attribute is being able to hold ones liquor at KTV's. It helps a lot to be approachable for fondling. |
PATHETIC |
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Bud Powell
Joined: 11 Jul 2013 Posts: 1736
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Posted: Sun Aug 10, 2014 8:58 pm Post subject: |
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The Great Wall of Whiner wrote: |
If they have a choice between hiring a 53 year old person or a 33 year old, guess who they will choose 99/100? |
FAO's I've spoken to have indicated that they actually prefer educated men in their fifties because they're a lot less likely to be skirt chasers and they usually have more experience at holding a job. That's not to say that the geezers don't get out occasionally, but at every school where I've taught, I've heard stories of young bucks who couldn't keep it in their pants and ended up knocking up at least one student. At an adjacent school in the last city where I taught, the FAO made it a policy to hire no males whatsoever.
Another perception that the FAO's I've known hold is that unmarried western guys in their 30's are more likely to be gay. Your experience with FAO's opinions may vary, but I have a feeling that it's an unfortunate widespread perception held by many FAO's. |
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Banner41
Joined: 04 Jan 2011 Posts: 656 Location: Shanghai
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Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2014 3:46 am Post subject: |
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Bud Powell wrote: |
The Great Wall of Whiner wrote: |
If they have a choice between hiring a 53 year old person or a 33 year old, guess who they will choose 99/100? |
FAO's I've spoken to have indicated that they actually prefer educated men in their fifties because they're a lot less likely to be skirt chasers and they usually have more experience at holding a job. That's not to say that the geezers don't get out occasionally, but at every school where I've taught, I've heard stories of young bucks who couldn't keep it in their pants and ended up knocking up at least one student. At an adjacent school in the last city where I taught, the FAO made it a policy to hire no males whatsoever.
Another perception that the FAO's I've known hold is that unmarried western guys in their 30's are more likely to be gay. Your experience with FAO's opinions may vary, but I have a feeling that it's an unfortunate widespread perception held by many FAO's. |
Are you a man in your 50's? Because that's what I would tell you too if you asked me to my face. |
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Listerine

Joined: 15 Jun 2014 Posts: 340
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Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2014 6:33 am Post subject: |
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Banner41 wrote: |
Bud Powell wrote: |
The Great Wall of Whiner wrote: |
If they have a choice between hiring a 53 year old person or a 33 year old, guess who they will choose 99/100? |
FAO's I've spoken to have indicated that they actually prefer educated men in their fifties because they're a lot less likely to be skirt chasers and they usually have more experience at holding a job. That's not to say that the geezers don't get out occasionally, but at every school where I've taught, I've heard stories of young bucks who couldn't keep it in their pants and ended up knocking up at least one student. At an adjacent school in the last city where I taught, the FAO made it a policy to hire no males whatsoever.
Another perception that the FAO's I've known hold is that unmarried western guys in their 30's are more likely to be gay. Your experience with FAO's opinions may vary, but I have a feeling that it's an unfortunate widespread perception held by many FAO's. |
Are you a man in your 50's? Because that's what I would tell you too if you asked me to my face. |
Haha - and look very handsome like Leonardo DiCaprio and/or Chuck Norris.
I've worked with some seriously lecherous old farts here. Really sleazy.
Some weird kind of midlife crisis where they were suddenly bowled over by attention from young, pretty college girls and seemed unable to realize that as being more of a kind of innocent, childish friendliness combined with a inherent cultural respect for the old dears even if they are looking at their cleavage in class and licking their lips.
Either way young or old I've met some really, really gross dudes here who I would never ever want anywhere near my (imaginary) daughter. |
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Bud Powell
Joined: 11 Jul 2013 Posts: 1736
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Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2014 4:29 pm Post subject: |
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This is going off-topic. This would be an interesting topic for new thread. |
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