Job Discussion Forums

gypsyhymn · Joined: 09 Oct 2015 Posts: 5

Hello all,

I'm in a bit of a quandary, and I am wondering if anyone has some information that could help me out.

About a year and a half ago I accepted a job with a university in Fujian Province. They sent me the documents I needed and I obtained the Z Visa, but unfortunately I wasn't able to go in the end, due to family health reasons -- a shame, because I was really looking forward to it.

Fast forward to now, I have just signed a contract with a different university, in Jiangsu Province. I've been going through the document collecting stage, but we seem to have a problem. Apparently the Foreign Expert Certificate (though they have also said "invitation letter" in messages to me, I kind of assume that was being used metaphorically?) has to be cancelled "in the computer system" before they can issue me a new one. Contacting the school in Fujian hasn't been helpful -- their response to me was that they "can't" because it's controlled by the government, not by them. When I asked a representative to contact them the only feedback I received was that they "will not", without a reason.

Has anyone ever been in a similar situation, or known someone who was? I'm growing very frustrated -- I would be immensely disappointed to not be able to work in China at all due to this unfortunate incident which was over a year ago!

Thanks in advance.

OhBudPowellWhereArtThou · Joined: 02 Jun 2015 Posts: 1168 Location: Since 2003

The Powerz That Bee have a problem. Apply to another school and see what happens.

gypsyhymn · Joined: 09 Oct 2015 Posts: 5

Hmm, ok. Seems like a shame to give up the job I'd (finally) selected after considering several options, but you're probably right that this will at least give me some more information. Thanks.

hz88 · Joined: 27 Sep 2015 Posts: 162

gypsyhymn · Joined: 09 Oct 2015 Posts: 5

Thanks so much for a super useful response, hz88. I'll try politely spelling things out to both the new and old universities and see if I can get either one of them to budge.

I just checked through my past emails and I see that the FEC has an expiration date (well, I assume -- it has two dates about a year apart, but of course I can't read the Chinese) of 31 July 2015. Hopefully when I tell that to the new school all will be well?

Thanks again, and I'll definitely post an update when this is all resolved -- for better or worse!

OhBudPowellWhereArtThou · Joined: 02 Jun 2015 Posts: 1168 Location: Since 2003

I just checked through my past emails and I see that the FEC has an expiration date (well, I assume -- it has two dates about a year apart, but of course I can't read the Chinese) of 31 July 2015. Hopefully when I tell that to the new school all will be well?

You have the FEC in your possession? Or are you talking about the letter of invitation?

gypsyhymn · Joined: 09 Oct 2015 Posts: 5

I have two documents. One is the invitation letter, the other I suppose is a Work Permit from SAFEA. I'm a little confused now (I guess that is obvious). Is this the same as the FEC or different?

snarf · Joined: 23 Oct 2010 Posts: 22

gypsyhymn · Joined: 09 Oct 2015 Posts: 5

Curiouser and curiouser. It seems more and more like the FAO is either incompetent or hiding something. I suppose the original advice of trying another school is the way to go.

hz88 · Joined: 27 Sep 2015 Posts: 162

Without seeing what documents you are talking about I can't really give you a definitive answer.

However I think that between yourself and your new intended University you are getting severe crossed lines and are making a mountain out of a molehill.

If you did not enter China, your visa would not have been activated and would have cancelled itself out as I explained earlier. There is nothing that you could give your new University and they should treat you as you have never been to China previously. The computer system would indicate this, unless and only you will know this, and that is you have been applying to several places and one has actually started your paperwork. If this is the case you will be blocked from applying elsewhere until they cancel it or finish it.

There are usually at least three or four documents that would have been sent to you.

One is a written letter in English from the school/university with their stamp at the bottom, the next is from SAFEA usually on a blue background with red writing at the top, this is the SAFEA confirmation letter that you have been invited to China as a Foreign Expert, there is a second part to that, usually with your name on it and something to the effect of applying for a z visa for 000 entries in 'x' country, the last would be a copy of your educational establishments licence to hire foreigners.

The term 'invitation letter' sometimes causes confusion.

The FEC or Foreign Experts Certificate and book (brown or blue) is issued after you have arrived in China on your z visa, completed your health exam and in the thirty day period before it is changed to a resident permit. It is simply not possible to have one unless you have actually completed this step.

I suggest you have one last shot and reiterate this to your intended employer. Also intimate that you are looking at other places who can do things correctly. You should not even need to contact your former employer as they would not be obliged to give you anything anyway.

If you decide to apply elsewhere simply do not even mention that you have applied for a visa to China before.

OhBudPowellWhereArtThou · Joined: 02 Jun 2015 Posts: 1168 Location: Since 2003

hz88 · Joined: 27 Sep 2015 Posts: 162

In Shanxi it was implemented on 7th September this year. The online system from SAFEA now permits online cancellations. There is even an option to cancel a resident permit if it is linked to it. It simply produces a PDF which we print, stamp and take to the PSB. All foreigners now have a unique identifier number which will follow them for their future employment in China irrespective of whether you change passport or province.

Any FAO or other person of responsibility who is in a province linked to this system should certainly confirm most if not all of what I have said.

The PSB side of things is still largely independent but the SAFEA side of things is certainly much more coordinated now.

I don't know about other provinces, but several people I know in neighboring provinces have echoed what I have said.

OhBudPowellWhereArtThou · Joined: 02 Jun 2015 Posts: 1168 Location: Since 2003

Okay. I get it now. SAFEA.

CFTU pushes the same line. Thanks for the heads-up.