Job Discussion Forums

[obsculta]

The U.S. embassy in Beijing seems to indicate that one can legally teach private classes, provided there is a stipulation in the contract of your visa sponsor. Am I missing something? It seems everyone would include such a clause if it were this easy.

[Deats]

Every contract I have been sent in the last couple of months has expressly forbidden working away from the university.

At my last uni, they actually found students for me.

I'm hoping the next place will be as good. After all, it keeps you busy and out of trouble, your salary is bumped up so you won't want to leave the uni.

[buravirgil]

Contractually asserting the latitude to conduct "privates" is likely problematic in more densely populated areas than rural communities that are happy to host the rare foreign teacher. And even in urban markets, university positions often grant it with the condition and consideration that it not hinder one's contracted responsibilities.
On Preview: What Deats said.

To address the OP less formerly: This is about getting along. Having proven yourself dependable, these opportunities come to you. But were you to arrive and immediately solicit for privates, you might provoke a scrutiny.

It gets more complicated with language mills because you are, after all, a commodity and the Chinese ESL market is expanding and competitive. Sponsoring a foreigner is fraught with regulations, costs and risks; An invested, private enterprise isn't motivated to share its benefits.

But let's say you have a university position (your sponsor) and teach side classes at a training center. A competing enterprise will, understandably, protest the disadvantage, and depending on their local clout, seek to have the regulations enforced. Or imagine a scenario where the sponsored, moon-lighting teacher seeks higher wages among competing enterprises.

Depending on a local history, these issues have occurred before, are anticipated, or present a potential.

[Non Sequitur]

I got some of my best privates from the FAO even though my contract stated no outside work.
If worried ask the FAO at a low level.
If they shake in horror you can be sure someone has abused the privilege.
If they are unconcerned do it in a below the radar way.
Chinese will see what they want to see.

[DuckAmuck]

All my contracts have said that I had to ask permission first.

[Son of Bud Powell]

[obsculta]

It sounds like folks play it by ear rather than trying to negotiate the right explicitly before signing a contract.

I ask because I'll be relocating to China for September and would prefer to take a university job. But the salaries are too low if I can't legally supplement my income, so I may be forced to go the private language school route instead.

[buravirgil]

[Non Sequitur]

[Deats]

Don't forget you get 4-5 months of holiday from a uni job, too (paid by some unis). Private schools only give 21 days to a month usually.

Private schools don't want you doing privates because they think it takes their students from them. A uni doesn't care as they don't lose anything if you teach kids.

If you take a school job, this salary is pretty much what you are going to earn. With a uni job you have the possibility of earning way more. I tripled my salary with privates and still got all the extra benefits like long paid holidays, a great on campus apartment, flights etc

[Non Sequitur]