Job Discussion Forums

[StephenfromNZ]

The Foreign Expert's Certificate is the work permit that is necessary for a Foreign Resident's Permit.

I've been registered with a FEC in two provinces in my 5.5 years teaching in China, but recently after signing a contract renewal with my employer the State Administration of Foreign Expert's Affairs in Hebei province which issues them, declined my employer's application. I have been able to find another job in a nearby province but I have some questions?

Does my five years of eligibility start again?
If I do leave China, does it have to be two years before I can work in Hebei province again?
Do I have to return to my home country, or can I work in another country before returning?

Looking forward to some more information.

Thanks.

[mackidrei]

i'm curious about this as well, but don't have any clear answers. my employer also states they can only employ those without a phd for 5 years, but it isn't clear if this is with them/the province, or all of china. i don't think they know for sure and i imagine it varies by province and experience.

[hz88]

I think there is no clear answer.

The official rules do have a clause which mentions five years and then an exit from China for two years.

I myself have been at the same job in the same province (Shanxi) for nine years, and never have encountered any issues but we are considered a backwater. It could also depend on the relationships your school has with the SAFEA office and the PSB.

I would ask the reason why it was declined although they are not obliged to give you one.

[SH_Panda]

It seems this rule is actually being enforced all over now. Quite a few teachers in my town are worried about it now, since two teachers were just told the school won't be able to renew their visas since this is their 5th year. Both of them wanted to stay, and both are pretty upset about it. The worrying this is that the school they work in is known to have the best guangxi with the local Foreign Affairs office, yet they still could do nothing about it.

This is also my 5th year. I have a family here, and I'm worried too. If they won't renew my application I'm faced with 2 choices:

1) Go on the spouse visa, since I'm married to a Chinese woman. The problem with that, of course, is that I wouldn't be allowed to work.

2) Take my family to another country for 2 years... uprooting my boy from school and ruining his mother's business that she's built from scratch.

Both options are pretty crappy.

It seems pretty ridiculous to me that China wants to create problems for those of us who like to live here, are qualified to work here and contribute to the country.

[JamesD]

Been with current company for 11+ years and didn't run into any of this when I renewed last month.

If (and it's a big 'if') you can get around this by signing with a new company, why don't you get together with another teacher in the same situation and simply trade jobs? SH_Panda, you can trade positions with mackidrei. Switch residences and after two years go back to your original employers.

[LarssonCrew]

I thought it was 5 years flat, no matter where it is.

I've also heard about people getting around the clause by 'moving' to a different department. I.e. they did their first 5 years in the language department of the government uni, then moved to admin, then back to the language department, then was teaching 'maths' etc. and so had 16 straight years.

It always amazes me that a spouse visa doesn't allow working. The majority of Chinese/foreign couples are foreign male with Chinese female, and in Chinese culture the man is traditionally supposed to support the family, but the spouse visa doesn't allow this.

It's shocking.

[StephenfromNZ]

From what I've learned, the local SAFEA offices enforce the rules as they see fit, while the national office makes rules with some flexibility.

Apparently the reason behind it is to clear out unproductive foreign experts and encourage others to continue gaining experience.

It could be targeted at language teachers, less so at other foreign teachers, and less so at those foreigners employed in non-education related businesses.

News reports on CCTV News frequently refer to encouraging foreigners with special talents to work in China.

The advice I've had is to plan for at least a year out of China furthering qualifications and experience, even though I'm also married to a Chinese citizen.

[wangdaning]

I am on my 8th continuous year with the same employer (same school/location) and doing the same job. I have always renewed as teacher, and it seems to not be a problem.

[mike w]

18th consecutive year - 11th with the same employer.

Rules? - go figure!!

[bestteacher2012]

As usual in China it's a province by province or city by city rule.

[Longer]

Just curious, why were you denied after 5 years? Did it have anything to do with the Provincial 5 year rule or ?????

[Shanghai Noon]

[StephenfromNZ]

Thanks for the knowledge guys!

I've been told that in Beijing the rules are stricter than anywhere else. I know some people posted above that they have had FEC renewed for over five years, but can someone confirm that when applying to work in Beijing we won't get a FEC if we have had one anywhere else in China for more than five years?

We really need a news release from SAFEA to clarify it.

Regards.

[SH_Panda]

[Medak1]

I've been in Shanghai 8 years and just recently changed my employer ( Sep 2015) and everything went smoothly. There was a rumor about 5 years in 2013 but nothing happened as I was able to extend it without any issues. Had the same position for 7.5 years.

I am pretty sure that it depends on a province but in Shanghai there is no problem with a 5-year "rule".