Job Discussion Forums

rexgardn · Joined: 20 Jan 2006 Posts: 13

Is the medical exam always required in order to teach? And if not absolutely required what kinds of teaching jobs are open in this case?
I had my medical done in the states, sent in the paperwork and had to take the medical and tests over again two weeks after arriving in China and flunked! The school did nothing to help and so I returned to the States and had the tests done again; apparently I had picked up some nasty bug between the two sets of tests. After getting treatment here in the States I feel great but now I am convinced that I do not want to get wrapped up in the regulations any more than necessary. I really enjoyed the teaching part and the city and I miss it but I don't miss the wierdness of the visas and exams.

So is the medical exam required for every FT? I heard the exam was required to get the FEC? And is the FEC needed for all teaching jobs?

Your constructive responses are welcom

China.Pete · Joined: 27 Apr 2006 Posts: 547

The medical exam is required for those intending to take up residence in China for up to one year or more. The Chinese government assumes any foreigner living here that long will probably end up having relations with some of the locals, and wants to protect them as best it can from any nasty germs you might bring with you. Now the fact that during the two weeks or so between the time when you left the States and retook your medical in China you managed to pick up something nasty suggests that yours may be exactly the type of situation the Chinese government is trying to protect people from.

7969 · Joined: 26 Mar 2003 Posts: 5782 Location: Coastal Guangdong

without being too intrusive, did they tell you why you failed the medical exam? the only reason i can think of is something to do with the blood test. that being anything to do with HIV. otherwise, i've never heard of anyone failing a medical here.

adamsmith · Joined: 27 Jan 2006 Posts: 259 Location: wuhan

i also suspected the same thing as the previous poster, but did not necessarily attribute it to HIV as the OP mentioned he recieved treatment and felt fine. Therefore, I just assumed he got a full course of antibiotics to remedy one of those ugly little bugers commonly known as STDs, which would give them cause for denying you working privileges.
Just make sure the whole bug is out of the system and there is no residual effects before spending lots of money to come back and try again.

always remember the raincoat.

no_exit · Joined: 12 Oct 2004 Posts: 565 Location: Kunming

Ditto to adamsmith. They'll fail you for many STDs, not just HIV. The Chinese are quite careful about only allowing "clean" foreigners to work here.

As for always needing the medical ... I've only ever *not* needed a new medical when I was transferring from one school to another and already had my previous medical in hand when I went over. If you are a newcomer you're not going to get around the medical, it is a requirement for the residence permit.

Steppenwolf · Joined: 30 Jul 2006 Posts: 1769

Not knowing what type of disease you were suspected of carrying, I believe you simply had bad luck. Your experience certainly doesn't square with the average Joe FT's experience.

Most medical exams in China are pretty superficial though blood analyses tend to be serious for the reason stated by others.

But if you live in-country you stand a good chance of your exam being waived. I haven't had to undergo a medical checkup for two years now. I am sure, though, if I changed employers I would have to undergo one again.

rexgardn · Joined: 20 Jan 2006 Posts: 13

My blood tests here back in the US didn't show anything which is what the results were before I went to China. My doctor here said I probably had a very bad case of some kind of tropical stomach bug based on my symptoms but he couldn't find any bugs on the tests here.

So now my blood tests show I am a clean disease free foreigner.

BUT no way am I going to China again and have more blood tests there.
If I go to China to teach for less than a year at a commercial school is the exam still needed?

I was offered work at a commercial school for my choice of 1 month up to 6 months and invited to enter on an L visa. I want some old hands to weigh in here.

Thanks

7969 · Joined: 26 Mar 2003 Posts: 5782 Location: Coastal Guangdong

tw · Joined: 04 Jun 2005 Posts: 3898

rexgardn · Joined: 20 Jan 2006 Posts: 13

As I interpret these responses, the medical exam is needed to work in China whatever the job is including teaching. And China makes the rules. Okay.

Now then: if I flunked the medical exam once will that affect my applying to teach in the future? That is, can I go ahead and apply for new jobs assuming my blood tests are okay here in the States without more questions about my first medical exam in China? I'm a little paranoid about the PRC government's involvement.

BTW, I appreciate your going over this because frankly the whole experience and being sick just after arriving in China has had my head spinning.

Thanks

Steppenwolf · Joined: 30 Jul 2006 Posts: 1769

WordUp · Joined: 05 Jan 2006 Posts: 131

You can download the Medical Form from here: http://chinavisaservice.org/forms/q2.pdf

Just make sure your Dr has his office manager stamp it with the official office chop and sign it and date it. MOST provinces will accept this form without making you take a supplemental examination, but there are a few provinces that will still require you to have the medical in China even though you have this form completed.

Steppenwolf · Joined: 30 Jul 2006 Posts: 1769

vikdk · Joined: 25 Jun 2003 Posts: 1676

HunanForeignGuy · Joined: 05 Jan 2006 Posts: 989 Location: Shanghai, PRC

It is my understanding here that an official administrative entity of the Government of the People's Republic in the city in Southern China where the OP briefly worked filed a Request for a Permanent Exclusionary Order with the Public Security Bureau of China in the case of the OP after the departure of the OP from the PRC on or about September 22, 2006.

It is also my understanding also that the Public Security Bureau of China in these cases, i.e., in cases when an Exclusionary Order is actually issued, notifies the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the relevant Consulates General and Embassies of the PRC through the Chinese Government intranet system in addition to making an "all points bulletin" to all of the provincial and regional offices of the PSB that handle foreigners. Sometimes visa applications are checked against these exclusionary orders; sometimes they are not. In any case, upon arrival in China, when the OP's passport is scanned through the system of Chinese immigration at the airport, the exclusionary order will be in place and it will trigger a "hold applicant". There is always the possibility, however, the applicant's passport will not be scanned upon arrival; this happens. In such a case, there would be no trigger.

Nonetheless, upon arrival in China, the OP would either stay in a hotel, or in an apartment or somewhere, and even on a short-term job, the company would be, and is required, to file a notice of his arrival with the Entry and Exit Police of the Public Security Bureau. Every foreigner in China must be registered, even temporarily with the PSB, within 24 hours of his or her arrival in the PRC. At this point for sure the entry of the name and the passport details of the OP would trigger an immediate "hold and deport" applicant and at that point there would be the midnight knock at the door followed by a quick bye-bye.

I will make no comment as to the reasons for the Order. That is not my business. I can only explain the administrative steps of what would happen here to this particular person.

HFG