Job Discussion Forums

[Hadit]

Hi, I'd like to do a comparison of the vacation and salary of a Chinese Uni position vs. a Vietnam language school position, assuming one has a degree and a Celta (for the latter).

Can I get some information on the respective vacation times of both? In China, I think it is about four months, three for the summer and one for the winter, all paid. In Vietnam, I think it could be about five months unpaid. Two months for Tet and three in the summer, if one doesn't work the summer.

Lets assume 18 hours a week for both:

China: 5000 CNY ($732)/mo x 12 = $8784/yr. Calculating the days worked per year, I take the 8 months x 25 days a month = 200 days worked, and 8 months x 4 weeks in a month x 18 hours a week = 576 hours. $8784/576 = $15.75/hr. for China, not bad.

Vietnam: $18/hr. x 18 hours a week x 28 weeks (7 months) = $9072/yr. Days worked is 7 months x 25 days a month = 175, and 7 months x 4 weeks in a month x 18 hours per week = 504 hours. $9072/504 = $18/hr. as given.

It is possible to work more in Vietnam though, so lets bring up the hours worked per year of 504 to China's 576. This adds $1296 more making the earnings $10368/yr. in Vietnam to China's $8784/yr. for the same number of hours worked, being 576.

Feel free to point out any inconsistencies. With the free housing, China seems to be a good option, perhaps better than one would think. This is of course assuming one is paid 5000 CNY the whole year through (during the four months when one isn't working).

Perhaps some will say "Well, I make 2k/mo. in Vietnam." Perhaps, but not at $18/hr. at 18 hrs./week: this is $1296/mo. We could put in someone earning $20/hr. there per our 576 hours, this equals $11520/yr. opposed to China's $8784/yr. This still isn't too much more considering China's free housing. Housing costs per year in VN as ~$250/mo. x 12 is $3000/yr.

I am not sure about tax percent differentiation, but that would make a difference too. Standard of living seems similar. I realize it is also a lifestyle choice.

[Tainan]

I can't say anything about Vietnam, but here's what I know about China:

Most of the jobs I've heard of give 16 hours a week, and some pay less than the 5,000 RMB that you mention, although you should be able to find that.

The university that I worked for paid for the summer vacation only if the teacher was going to come back and work the next school year. If you didn't renew your contract, you didn't get paid for anything after the last day you worked.

It is very possible to get extra work in China to supplement your income.

I'm not sure that the lifestyle in China and Vietnam are at all comparable. Everything I hear about Vietnam suggests that teachers are working in big, busy cities. In China most univ. jobs are in smaller cities; my Dalian, for example, even with five million people, had the atmosphere and lifestyle of a sleepy small town.