Job Discussion Forums

Monday · Joined: 29 Apr 2011 Posts: 29

I've worked in China for a while, but now have taken a job in another country. The other country doesn't require any paperwork from my Chinese school.

I asked the school's administrators if I could get a letter of release, so that if I ever return to China in the future, I could find work again. They said I don't need one.

Is that true? Is a letter of release not needed if a teacher spends some time out of the country?

asiannationmc · Joined: 13 Aug 2014 Posts: 1342

Ask for a recommendation letter stating the dates of your contract and completion of that contract.

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

Yes, It is important, but not necessary to obtain a job at another school IF YOU RETURN TO YOUR HOME COUNTRY.

Your FAO will call your old FAO anyway, but it's good to have in case you apply for a teaching job in your home country. Some bimbo FAO's won't write a release or a recommendation if you return to your home country.

22Yossarian · Joined: 20 Jan 2013 Posts: 68

I left my last job in China a year ago on bad terms. I worked there for two years, and by the end of my two year stint I was one of the more senior teachers.

I went on to spend a year in Chinese grad school before finding a new job at an international school attached to a top Beijing university.

I had good relationships with most of my colleagues and immediate bosses, I just had a very difficult time with the campus head master and the company VP who ultimately pushed me out a month before my scheduled last day as per my resignation letter. Mostly they saved themselves 10,000 RMB in flight reimbursements.

I was able to get letters of recommendation from my direct supervisor printed on school letter head without the head master knowing, and I was able to get a new and better job and a Z visa.

From what I understand, the letter of release is most important for if you are immediatly moving from one job to another. A colleague of mine was unable to get a letter of release from my old school, and his new school couldn't renew his Z visa because the old school wouldn't grant a letter of release, which meant that rather than simply transfering the visa to his new school, he had to return to the U.S. when his Z visa expired and his new school could not even apply for the letter of invitation, FEC, or work permit until his previous visa had expired.