Job Discussion Forums

exfalso · Joined: 17 Jan 2018 Posts: 9

I've not worked in China before; but 3 other countries I have. Not am I, therefore, new to working or living in another country.

At the moment I have two offers in China:

The first is at a university; the net salary per month is low, but so is the workload; whereas, the public school salary is higher, with more hours per week. The hourly rate at the university is greater; but, not as many hours.

Anyone have any opinions on what is a better place to work at? Will it be easy to add some privates or something to bump up the net amount I can get each month should I choose the university position?

The public school is in Shanghai; the university, further south. I have been reading many posts on this forum about living in different places and how expenses are different in bigger cities; but, I am not so concerned about this now.

Secondly, now that all my documents are prepared - notarized, legalized etc., the public school position in Shanghai is asking me to come to China on a tourist visa then convert it to a Z-visa once I arrive.

I've never gone to a place to work without having been given a work visa in my passport before I left my own country.

I did some research: some say, it is easy to transfer L to Z; some say, no; others, yes, but a side trip to Hong Kong is required. Others, still, say it is hard to say for sure for the rules change or are unclear (I've lived in a post-soviet republic so this sort of thing I am more than familiar with).

Should I view this request to do a visa transfer as a red flag? Or is this pretty normal?

I am leaning toward the public school in Shanghai; but, not knowing what I do not know, I am wondering if there are some important things I am overlooking.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

ExFalso

Non Sequitur · Joined: 23 May 2010 Posts: 4724 Location: China

This subject has been traversed many times.
The risk-free route (as far as anything can be in China) is the Z visa in your passport before leaving home. This, as in other countries, is converted to a RP on arrival. There is a medical involved (in addition to the one undertaken at home for the Z) but all costs are borne by employer. You pay for home country stuff.
Occasionally there is a whiff of excitement when someone posts that they got a L to Z visa conversion in HK.
On closer examination there seems always to be some special circumstances surrounding the L to Z conversion.
Any school that offers the L visa route is unlikely to have the required permission to hire foreigners and a Z visa sponsored by them would be knocked back by your local Chinese consulate.
There's really only one offer on the table and that's the uni.
As to privates. Illegal but we all do them.
Best

exfalso · Joined: 17 Jan 2018 Posts: 9

Mixal · Joined: 08 Apr 2015 Posts: 80

Huizhou University has plenty of (bad) reviews online.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shanghai_Shixi_High_School

http://www.shixi.edu.sh.cn/

Are you supposed to sign the contract with the school directly? Or with an agency?

exfalso · Joined: 17 Jan 2018 Posts: 9

Non Sequitur · Joined: 23 May 2010 Posts: 4724 Location: China

Here's the wiki link for Huizhou U.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huizhou_University
I see you will be contracting to the agent but they certainly won't have authority to hire foreigners. The additional downside to this situation is that you may be required to teach over different campuses with commuting at your cost and time.
I think the problems at the school are structural and it's your butt on the line should anything go wrong. Your consulate won't want to know you either if you knowingly worked illegally.
Every uni has bad reports, but that's usually peripheral stuff. Water off without notice. Short notice of events or class cancellations etc.

exfalso · Joined: 17 Jan 2018 Posts: 9

Thanks. I did not speak personally with any foreigner currently employed by the public school or that agency; but, I really don't like the idea of playing visa games when I am out of the country.

I read through that link for the university. Thanks. I am certainly adjusting my position now after all these comments.

The fellow at the university I spoke with has been there for a few years; so, that might be a good sign.

jimpellow · Joined: 12 Oct 2007 Posts: 913

Actually, Shanghai has liberalized this rule as they seem to have some common sense. They seem to have realized that the new national process was affecting their ability to attract and retain the foreigner.

Unless they have changed it back, it seems to be the only jurisdiction (above board at least) where you can come on a tourist visa and it will be converted right there. I would still do some googling with a filter of the last six months and Shanghai before moving forward.

Best!

Non Sequitur · Joined: 23 May 2010 Posts: 4724 Location: China

Jim's comment is one of those 'whiffs of excitement' I mentioned:
'Occasionally there is a whiff of excitement when someone posts that they got a L to Z visa conversion in HK.
On closer examination there seems always to be some special circumstances surrounding the L to Z conversion'.
Shanghai is a special case in most things and I expect Jim's info is valid. But would a recruitment agent have the guanxi to access that level of decisionmaking in the bureaucracy?
Shanghai is a 'special circumstance'