Job Discussion Forums

Wolf · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 1245 Location: Middle Earth

Congraduations! That's great news! I hope everything has been worked out for the best then? Best of luck in whatever it is you'll be doing now.

gerard · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 581 Location: Internet Cafe

WOLF--If still reading this thread are you SURE it is not necessay to hand over your passport...I was at a reputable College who treated me flawlessly...They claimed to need it for a couple of weeks...It was bizarre though because they would hand it back to me to go to the PSB Medical etc...What the hell were they doing with it. I worry about this because 2 have been stolen from me and a 3rd will force me back home...

chinafriendhere · Joined: 31 May 2003 Posts: 22

Any employer getting a foreign teacher a work visa will need your passport for a few days. Depending on the lack of experience of the school and the lack of experience of the local PSB this may take longer. So if you don't want to give up your passport for a few days or possibly longer then I suggest you go to another country other than China. If you do come to China, don't accuse a school of doing something wrong because they ask for your passport for a few days. Obviously ESLteacher got a bad deal but the majority of schools will treat you right. Work for a school you know and trust, and one that another foreign teacher can recommend.

ESLteacher · Joined: 30 Jan 2003 Posts: 82

To all respondants to this string:
Has anyone encountered the situation of having to sue an employer. As this string has shown, Longre had asked me to work ilegally in China (without a valid greencard and work visa). I had to leave China for this reason (at my own expense) and be without work. Does anyone know of a contact for information on international courts?

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

Post factum you are in a difficult position, of course; how are you going to make your point or even prove any of your allegations?
However, towards the countdown of your visa, you could possibly have enlisted the help of your school's education bureau and/or the PSB.

They would possibly act as arbiters, but at least a third party would be in the know; withholding your passport is illegal and there is recourse against it. You could report it to your country's nearest representative and name the two parties involved.
The fine for overstaying would then have to be paid by the guilty one.

ESLteacher · Joined: 30 Jan 2003 Posts: 82

Thanks for the information. Ted, in fact i did not receive your message. From time to time certain email is blocked from arriving at my address. It seems to occur when helpful information like yours is trying to reach me.

ESLteacher · Joined: 30 Jan 2003 Posts: 82

chiafriendhere,
You`ve entirely missed the point of this string.

ESLteacher · Joined: 30 Jan 2003 Posts: 82

Post factum you are in a difficult position, of course; how are you going to make your point or even prove any of your allegations?
However, towards the countdown of your visa, you could possibly have enlisted the help of your school's education bureau and/or the PSB.

They would possibly act as arbiters, but at least a third party would be in the know; withholding your passport is illegal and there is recourse against it. You could report it to your country's nearest representative and name the two parties involved.
The fine for overstaying would then have to be paid by the guilty one.

Roger,
I have copies of all the paperwork involved to show the dates in question and Longre`s intention to put me in a situation where i would be breaking the law.
As for the PSB, i had contaced them in Hangzhou where they directed me to the Immigration office in Shanghai. In Shanghai the people i spoke with at the PSB where, how shall we say `in bed` with the company. I am lucky to have not ended up in jail.

Does anyone still think this is a simple matter of releasing your passport for a few days?

yvechina · Joined: 06 Mar 2003 Posts: 20

I was placed in exactly the same situation with an EF school in Yiwu. They werent even registered to employ foreign teachers!! An EF school would you believe. The owner waited until my tourist visa was nearly due to expire then explained that he could get me a Z visa through his friends school but I would have to work at his school as well as the EF school. Yeah right...12 hours of teaching a day???? I complained to EF headquarters and they moved me to another school but the old one has refused to pay my last months pay!!

garbotara · Joined: 15 Sep 2003 Posts: 529 Location: China

That is quite a story! I can not believe they took your passport to Shanghai! I lost my passport and am in the process of replacing it. Also, moving to a different school.I understand what a problem it is.I had never lost a passport in over 20 years. I am with another teacher from my old school and lost my passport that day in Beijing.I knew I had her hold my bag at some point.I was keeping track of her stuff while she was trying to change travellers checks on a weekend.She was nice , but not too swift.Everytime I went out with her to help her buy something or so something, it turned into an ordeal.This was the worst one.