Job Discussion Forums

[ord2world]

Hello-

I've looked through all of the recent posts, but I have a few questions. Is there anyone successfully teaching at a school in China without a bachelor's degree? If so, could you please send a private message? I will be interested in work beginning this May. Please note that I have two years experience teaching English in Spain.

I found this passage on www.transitionsabroad.com (not sure how old it is though), "The SAFEA requirements state that a "foreign educational expert should hold a minimum of a bachelor's degree and more than two years of experience." As the regulation uses the Chinese character for the word "should," instead of “must,” there has been a great deal of "flexible" interpretation across provinces regarding the minimum educational requirement over the years. While a bachelor's degree is generally regarded as the minimum educational requirement to legally teach in China, this currently appears to be the exception instead of the rule."

Does anyone have recent experience with Eastland Recruiting? I will graduate from university on May 11 and will be close to the Chinese border (Haiphong, Vietnam) doing volunteer work. I'm just exploring options in case Vietnam doesn't work out. It seems most schools will need an original copy of my degree, so I have no clue how long it will take to arrive. Hopefully the mail system isn't corrupt in China?

I appreciate your help,

Becca

[ord2world]

It seems Eastland Recruiting tries to push their TEFL certificates, so I'm no longer interested. hahahahahahaha

[likwid_777]

If you can get a Z visa, then you should be pretty much set.

[ord2world]

Hi,

I appreciate your response. Yes, I understand this. I'm just going to print out a list of all the known scams and start applying to schools.

I'm going to insist on the following:

-Contacts of past and present foreign teachers
-Photos of the free apartment I will actually be living in
-List of utilities included and if there's a limit
-Ask if they're SAFEA licensed

My worry is regardless of doing these things, they could still lie. Sigh...
What course of action would I have then?

If anyone has a contact for someone working at a school (without a degree), please give them my information.

[Bud Powell]

I'm just going to print out a list of all the known scams and start applying to schools.

Cool. Just don't publish it here.

[roadwalker]

Chinese schools generally won't send you materials for a work visa to a third country. Some have had success applying for a work visa from third countries but have had some time of residency status in those countries. So, expect to apply from your home country for a z-visa.

If you will already be in Hanoi, though, it might be worth it to take a look at China on a visitor visa and check out places where you may want to live. From there, there is a slight chance on being sent to Hong Kong for a z-visa but you'll probably have to return to your home country. Don't accept being sent to Hong Kong for a business visa or another visitor visa.

[Shanghai Noon]

I don't know about other provinces, but Shanghai does not allow first-time applicants to apply from 3rd countries. For second-time applicants it is permitted.

[ord2world]

Hahahahahahaha

Bud, you're a riot! I'll resist the urge.

[ord2world]

Now this is good, sound advice. Thank you, Roadrunner! It didn't even occur to me that it would be a problem to apply from a third country. I'll ask the schools about this. I've been to Shanghai and Xian. I would prefer large cities.

The z-visa for me!

[water rat]

Both times I came to China from a third country not my own - to Kunming, then Gansu via Hangzhou and Beijing respectively. It wasn't an issue that I hadn't applied from my home country. I think such matters are an elementary function of an embassy. People are very mobile these day. I'm in Africa, I want to come to China - go to the embassy first. What else?

[roadwalker]

[Fergie]

[water rat]

[toteach]

My husband did not have a BA when he taught in Guangdong, but he did have an Associate's. Depending on the clout of the school, the location of the school, and the desperation of the school, qualifications needed to obtain a working visa vary.