Job Discussion Forums

jamesmollo · Joined: 26 Apr 2007 Posts: 276 Location: jilin china

For Work Visa, you need :

* Completed and signed visa application form

* One recent passport photograph

* Passport (with spare visa pages, valid for over 6 months)

* Foreigner Employment License issued by Ministry of Labour & Social Security, PRC, or Certificate of Foreign Expert's Identity issued by State Bureau of Foreign Experts, PRC (THE ORIGINAL DOCUMENT IS RUQUIRED)

* Invitation letter from Chinese authorities concerned such as Foreign Affairs Office (THE ORIGINAL DOCUMENT IS RUQUIRED)

* Physical examination report, if the applicant intends to stay in China for over 6 months.

Lildeski · Joined: 04 Mar 2008 Posts: 12 Location: NY,NY

Is a Foreign Residence Permit a visa? The company claims I need to get a tourist visa and then a medical exam once in shanghai and within 30 days I will get a Foreign Residence Permit.

jamesmollo · Joined: 26 Apr 2007 Posts: 276 Location: jilin china

Yes a residence permit for foreigners (r.p.f) is a visa, it replaces the z-visa when you arrive in china. I know, it's a silly system. You do the medical in your home country to get a z-visa which is valid for a year this enables you to work in china (theoredically) but, when you enter china you have 30 days to change this into a r.p.f which states your purpose for being a 'temporary' resident - wai jiao (foreign teacher) which is valid for a year. Hence the producing a one year contract to the foreign affairs dept apon your arrival.
The form for the medical exam from the chinese consulate will be in english and chinese. So, you can bring it with you.
If in doubt about your school's credibilty, ask them for their s.a.f.e.a registration number.
james

North China Laowei · Joined: 08 Apr 2008 Posts: 419

Lildeski · Joined: 04 Mar 2008 Posts: 12 Location: NY,NY

So every legit company should have a S.A.F.E.A number?

grwit · Joined: 20 Apr 2006 Posts: 329 Location: Dagobah

I just got my Z visa 2 weeks ago in Aust. I didn't need a medical certificate. The last 2 Z visas I got I also didn't need a medical certificate.

I had to get my medical certificates once I was in China and that is for the Foreign Experts certificate which is needed for the Resident Permit.

You basically get a Z visa then you need to get a Foreign experts certificate once you arrive then they will apply for your resident permit.

The medical cert is for the expert cert NOT the Z visa

Take note "The expiry date on your resident permit = the expiry of your Z visa."

I had 1 employer who tried to make me work right up to the expiry date of the Res Permit. If I did then I could not leave the country the next day without a fine or some other punishment.

jamesmollo · Joined: 26 Apr 2007 Posts: 276 Location: jilin china

well I can only speak of my own experiences. I brought the medical exam forms with me and they were accepted. Except the chest x-ray which had water damage. They were required at the chinese consulate in N.Z. Actually, it makes no sense to give someone a work visa if you don't know whether they are medically fit to work or not. So, I'm suprised by this news.

jamesmollo · Joined: 26 Apr 2007 Posts: 276 Location: jilin china

Yes, every school/organisation has to have a S.A.F.E.A registration number. The state authority for foreign expert affairs issues these to people allowed to hire 'foreigners'
Remember this - they want to hire you, so they will tell you anything and everything to get you here. It sounds like they don't have the ability. The concept of 'losing face' is paramount in china. Where do you think 'chinese whispers' came from?
Look there are plenty of jobs around, just do your homework and don't listen to their BS. that's my advice

Lildeski · Joined: 04 Mar 2008 Posts: 12 Location: NY,NY

I asked for the SAFEA number and he said he is sending it via email. Do you think he would send me a false one?

jamesmollo · Joined: 26 Apr 2007 Posts: 276 Location: jilin china

He may well do. But you can check. If he is registered, why can't he send you the invitation letter etc to get a z-visa? This is a foreign country, you don't want to be at the mercy of someone who doesn't know what they are doing, believe me.

nzben · Joined: 16 Jun 2008 Posts: 4

Well the school told me yesterday that I won't have to go to Hong Kong anymore to renew the tourist visa, they could do it locally. Today I gave them my passport, visa application form and photo, and within 30 minutes they were back saying that actually, I do need to go to HK afterall. I am dealing wih a bunch of incompetents.

The problem now is they want me to get the overnight train on Sunday, arriving Monday 11 August. I most recently entered China on 10 July, so by my calculations my time will run out on the 9th (July having 31 days). Is this correct?? Or will 11th be ok? Consequences are......?

Song&Dance · Joined: 04 Jul 2008 Posts: 176

teacherbel · Joined: 13 Jun 2008 Posts: 65 Location: Philippines

Hi!
My nephew is a Filipino. I brought him to Wuhan, China, to look for job (His sisters were already teaching there and I did 8 years ago). He found a job after 2 weeks. He taught at EF for 3 weeks while waiting for his documents (he was on a tourist visa all the time). He also took his medical exam during that 2 weeks. His papers were all done in almost 3 weeks, which he brought with him to the Philippines. He couldn't get his Z visa in HK, unlike his sisters. He applied for his Z visa in Cebu City, Philipipnes..He was there for 3 weeks in May, 2008. He left China latter part of May. In the Philipines, he got his Z visa overnight by paying a larger fee. We paid for all the expenses. He was refunded for all his expenses, a month after..- the visas and the one way ticket to Wuhan, China via Guangzhou..He is very happy now teaching at EF. EF advertized for native FTs but took him just the same after a personal interview. My nephew holds a BS in Education, major in English, from a Philippine Catholic University, noted for its expertise in English..

I hope this information helps..