Job Discussion Forums

[RyanR1984]

Hi all,

I'm new to the board, so first of all, hello!

I have been offered a job teaching English in Changing, Beijing. The only issue I have is that I don't have a degree, therefore I don't qualify for a Z visa. I have been assured time and again by the company I will be working for, Better English, that they will be able to get me a Z visa, only after I arrive in country on a tourist visa. Does that sound normal? As far as I'm aware, a visa is only required to enter the country initially, therefore making it irrelevant whether they can get me a working visa in country or not. There has been no talk if leaving to go to Hong Kong to come back or anything like that.

I suppose I'd just like to know whether that sounds like something that might possibly happen? Apparently the school has good relationships with the relevant government departments, so they can arrange a visa, no problem. It costs them something like 4,500 rmb, of which they will deduct some 350 rmb from my wages for the first six month, until half of this is repaid them.

I won't be turning up in China with no money or anything like that, I am actually quite well off for a spell, so if it turns out to be suspect, I will simply move to another country, where the visa laws aren't as strictly enforced, such as Cambodia or Vietnam.

Thanks for your help, any advice at all will be greatly appreciated.

Ryan

[nomad soul]

No, you will not qualify for a Z visa without a bona fide bachelor's degree.
Yes, you will be working illegally on a tourist visa and risk deportation.

Focus instead on countries where you can teach without a degree.

[RyanR1984]

Hi Nomad, and thanks for the swift response.

Is all their talk of being able to get me a visa just that - talk?

I have been assured that they will be able to get me one, and I have spoken to an Irish lad that works there too, he says there are other teachers working there without degrees that have work visas.

Would I be in a great deal of trouble if I went over there to see if they could, in fact, get me a work visa, was caught, and explained to the police that I had been assured a wok visa, multiple times and could show them emails and whatnot confirming this? It seems to me that this might shift the blame to the company, a little.

[kungfuman]

[RyanR1984]

Ok, thanks once again for your reply.

I think I might just head over there, see if it looks like they'e trying to get me a visa, and if so, I'll stay. If not, I'll most likely move on to another country, such as Vietnam or Thailand, where I've been told it is much easier to fly beneath the radar, so to speak. I figure I should be ok for a month or so without a visa. If I'm not actually being paid, can I still get into trouble, for just being at a language centre through the day?

[Spelunker]

I would avoid Beijing boyo, if not because the visas will be tougher there, the air is heavily polluted....I'd imagine even Vietnam may be better, at least you could get a sea breeze now and again.

[RyanR1984]

It's not Central Beijing, it's in Changyang, which is away from the centre, somewhat. I hear the pollution is pretty bad there too, however.

Is it easy enough to arrange a visa for Vietnam, I understand working on a tourist visa there is the norm, is that correct?

[Spelunker]

[RyanR1984]

Thanks for the advice.

I'm from Scotland, I don't know how much of a difference that's likely to make though.

I may end up going to Thailand or Vietnam to do the CELTA course. I have done an online, 140 hour course, but would like to have some practice teaching real people before I try to land a job in one of these countries, and, as I understand it, the CELTA course is the best, or most well regarded course available.

[CNexpatesl]

Going there "just to see" if they'll follow their word and get you a visa is a good way to end up homeless and screwed, with no money to get back home. I hope you have enough saved up.

They will most likely not get you a visa, and probably even screw you over and not pay you for a month's work. Also, Beijing being the CCP headquarters, the police are more likely to crackdown on foreigners, and supposedly regularly raid the schools and training centers.

[Ferto]

I would reread the cautionary replies here over and over until you get the message.

Don't go to China just to see how it might turn out.

I like your idea of going to Thailand to do a CELTA course the best.

Although in the longer term, for both visa reasons and for getting anything reasonable, you will need a degree. There simple is no avoiding it these days.

[RyanR1984]

Cheers guys. Looks like Thailand it is then!

[talentedcrayon]

OP, they are lying to you. I have schools in China do this to me all the time. They claim they can't wait 1 month for me to get a visa, and claim they will apply for the Z after I arrive. It's BS. They claim it's legal to work on a tourist visa... (It isn't). Lies upon lies.

They have no intention of ever employing you legally. It's possible they don't even have a legal right (a license) to employ foreigners. Trust me, they will tell you anything you want to hear if it will get you to come

The fact that they would lie to you... Before you even arrive... Is a major warning sign. Stay away.

[creeper1]

I never heard of a tourist visa being converted to work visa with out at least a trip to Hong Kong.

However, having said that, my company employs non native speakers who seem to have legit z visas so it wouldn't surprise me if non degree holders had z visas.

[LarssonCrew]

Well, I know before the new visa rules that some schools would fake a degree ithout the applicant knowing, but now they have to be checked how could they.

Making you pay for a visa is laughable.