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Anda · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 2199 Location: Jiangsu Province

A fun read on what can happen at a high level:

http://www.theage.com.au/cgi-bin/common/popupPrintArticle.pl?path=/articles/2008/01/26/1201157738731.html

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&newwindow=1&q=AITA+China+English+teaching&btnG=Search

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Results 1 - 10 of about 313,000 for

quit job Z visa China.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&newwindow=1&q=quit+job+Z+visa+China&btnG=Search

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Moon Over Parma · Joined: 20 May 2007 Posts: 819

I've only done this with a university. I cannot speak about the buxiban except to sat that they are almost always a world of guaranteed shit storms and issues, often operate outside the law (many pay it off, some skirt past it) and because they are on a different level in terms of how a contract can hurt you.

I simply tried my best to work it out with the university. Lots of dialogs over a series of months. Attempts from both sides at an amicable solution. Then there was hot-winded attempts of contractual intimidation from the school. I called that bluff, standing firmly with enough to prove they violated certain agreements as well the compromise reached was that I would not only receive personal recommendations, but they would pay me all of my bonuses, reimburse me moneys owed and were totally professional about the matter, as was I. I completed the remainder of the semester, fulfilled all of my obligations and duties and all parties were pleased.

In the buxiban system there are no real semesters to speak of. As a result, teachers are in a bind because the school can use that as a point of contention when discussing your release. They have a business to protect, face to save, clients to serve. If it is a well staffed business then it would be less of an issue because you're a cog and another cog can be put in place of the one removed and the machine functions as it would normally. If you are flying low staffed or as the sole instructor then I could see where nothing good would come it. This is but one of the millions of reasons to not work in the buxiban system. There is a reason why a surprising number of teachers you meet working in China's buxiban system are either: without a university degree, social misfits, non-native speakers, unemployable in the public school system, are total misfits, or come from a country without the magic passport. I think the dominant factor is that these are people without degrees, desperate to live and work abroad. Not all, but in my experience it is the norm as opposed to the exception.

I am going to return to the point of this thread:

First, you need to look for a new job. Once you find it and the potential employer are willing to hire you and know about the fact you are jumping ship, you need to get your current employer to agree to the change and sign the release FORM. It is referred to as a “release letter,” but it is not a letter. It is a standardized form with blanks to fill out, boxes to check, and room for a one or two sentence explanation and the official, red stamp.

With university and public school work this is easy to do. Jobs open up based on semesters and seasons. You can earn your employment freedom and the school can keep face by simply agreeing to fulfill your duties until the end of the period. They still have an employee and can provide the services promised to their clients and you have time to save money and look. You also have time to get papers filed and processed with your next employer. In the buxiban system this is not an option.

What you will need is a new job to go to, the old job agreeing and filling out the release letter, and an agreed upon time. This is true for any ESL job within China. If you cannot make this happen then you might have to quit your job, go home, and come back when the contract expires, or if they cancel your visa before you leave you can simply come back from your home country after you secure a new sponsor.

Your future employer should help you get the paperwork you need to leave. Your current employer will not want to do it themselves, since you're leaving them. You can only ask them for release and provide them the documents. They are only obligated to pay you for your work and to sign the paperwork if they are on the up-and-up. Not everyone works on that premise, however.

Good luck.

jeffinflorida · Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2008 3:32 pm Post subject:

Run Forrest, Run...

Moon Over Parma · Joined: 20 May 2007 Posts: 819

jeffinflorida · Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2008 3:35 pm Post subject:

Anda · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 2199 Location: Jiangsu Province

Gabeltron you are thinking like you are in the West. If you don't attend classes then your employer could easily get you tossed out. Chinese side with Chinese not our lot unless you have a local friend that is prepared to assist you.

Z Visa costs

http://www.visa-chinese.com/china-other-visas.htm

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

Anda · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 2199 Location: Jiangsu Province

A resident visa is about 400 RMB. A medical is about 200 to 300 RMB. There are also other costs to your employer as they need two other things done from government departments to apply for the resident visa. The z visa I don't know the cost of.

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

vikuk · Joined: 23 May 2007 Posts: 1842

Anda · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 2199 Location: Jiangsu Province

I am talking about stopping one from getting another job legally in country without having to do an overseas visa run. In other words a transfer of the resident visa to a new place of enployment.

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

I have gotten a new r.p.f twice without a release letter and without leaving the country. I'm now working in the same province and city where my dispute occurred. Risky? yes, but possible.
The first time I was 3 months into my second contract with the school. Because of gross misconduct on their part I packed up and left (to another province mind you) their r.p.f was stamped 'cancelled' and another one promptly issued.
The second time I finished up my contract in the proper way two stamps were required on the 'release letter' for my new job in the same province, the school stamped it but the education bureau refused for some reason. I was told that they were just not familiar with this so they wouldn't? My new employer tried several times to get them to do this, but to no avail.
In the end they gave up and my new r.p.f was granted without the infamous 'letter of release'
cheers

sheeba · Joined: 17 Jun 2004 Posts: 1123

MESL · Joined: 23 Aug 2003 Posts: 291

I told a school before the contract started that I changed my mind about working for them. They never sponsored a visa or a foreign experts certificate. They never paid me a salary. I never started teaching. They did sponsor a health certificate. I told them I would reimburse them for the medical exam if they gave me the health certificate. They had me register residency with the campus police, but I didn't give me a resident permit and didn't allow me to live on campus during the summer. How can I be a resident if I don't have a resident permit and if I'm not allowed to live there? Of course, the FAO and the recruiter said I had to work there or pay the breach of contract penalty.

jeffinflorida