Job Discussion Forums

Trinley · Joined: 29 Apr 2010 Posts: 144

I didn't return my FEC to my school when I worked in China a few years ago. I still have it though. Does anyone know if that will cause me any worries when I go to apply for another one this fall? Thanks!

Mister Al · Joined: 28 Jun 2004 Posts: 840 Location: In there

Von Dut · Joined: 21 May 2009 Posts: 108 Location: Limbo

It simply expires. You don't need to turn it in or anything like that. Keep it, toss it, whichever.

You don't have anything to worry about.

The Great Wall of Whiner · Joined: 29 Jan 2003 Posts: 4946 Location: Blabbing

I have a few as well.

Back at home, people laugh at the notion that someone would certify me as an "expert".

Trinley · Joined: 29 Apr 2010 Posts: 144

Halapo · Joined: 05 Sep 2009 Posts: 140 Location: Jiangsu, China

LoL

I though it was just me. My friends at home get a huge kick out of my expertise in being foreign.

LongShiKong · Joined: 28 May 2007 Posts: 1082 Location: China

I'm surprised schools let you keep them. Recent schools I've worked for in the past have held onto them for fear of FTs going AWOL. (It's harder to renew a visa without one). One FT actually ripped his out of the hands of a staffer attempting to photocopy it as he stated the school had no right to withhold it from him.

caleypatrick · Joined: 20 Mar 2010 Posts: 63 Location: Sichuan

Ha, my uni asked for it back, so I ran it thru the washer and told them too bad so sad. There's more than one way to handle the plentiful lack of respect for being little more than a piece of meat.

teachaus · Joined: 04 Apr 2009 Posts: 54

I know from my university that the reason they ask for them back when you finish is because the university itself gets into trouble if they are not returned to the PSB when the FT leaves. While it probably isn't "bad" trouble, the university or employer is expected to return the FEC so they do have good reason to ask for it back.

Teatime of Soul · Joined: 12 Apr 2007 Posts: 905

It is supposed to be returned upon the FTs termination of work.

I knew one school that withheld final pay until it was returned.

There was one FT, who, for whatever reason, refused to relinquish his; claiming it had been stolen the day before.

"No problem" said the school. They explained they would reprocess it. It would take a week or ten days. Then they would collect any fees for it from him and send his final pay by wire transfer (since he would be gone).

Amazingly, his stolen passport was returned to the school the next morning.

Games people play. Crying or Very sad

Trinley · Joined: 29 Apr 2010 Posts: 144

Hm, well I had already been paid. Normally the school holds onto the FEC, but the reason I had it was because I needed to take it with me to Shanghai to get my currency changed before leaving. They did ask me to mail it back when I was done, saying that it was important for the school. I was pretty selfish and decided to keep it instead. They didn't ask repeatedly, so I figured it wasn't a dire issue for them. Still, I feel bad. Embarassed

gene · Joined: 03 Mar 2010 Posts: 187

If changing jobs in China, it is wise to hold on to the book until the Ft determines if he will need to give the FExp book to his new FAO. Due to the fact that I held on to mine, I was able to avoid leaving the country when I changed employment from one city to another.. Be safe and hold on to it if possible....

killian · Posted: Thu May 27, 2010 11:04 pm Post subject:

keep it as a memento. kinda funny how it was simply never required/of any use other than when one was trying to re-new. the other 364 days a year it just sits.

LanGuTou · Joined: 23 Mar 2009 Posts: 621 Location: Shandong

I am quitting teaching at the end of my present contract in July. The university know that I have no intention of taking up another teaching position other than training through my own business activities. The only thing that the FAO insists on is I return the FEC.

Can anyone enlighten me as to why this little booklet is so important to them and if there are any advantages to me hanging on to it?

Teatime of Soul · Joined: 12 Apr 2007 Posts: 905

Because for some government auditors, the expired FECs serve as a quick method to see if the school has been legally hiring and processing Foreign Experts.

The department that conducts the audit is not the one that issues the FEC, so it is a metric they can easily use without delving into reams of paperwork.

Here's an analogy. In the US, in some places, you apply to one particular department for a license to fish, and buy extra stamps to catch a particular type of fish, say, snook.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_snook

Now, the game warden who boards your boat doesn't know what all paperwork you had processed. But he does know to ask for one snook stamp for every snook he counts in your boat.

Same with Chinese inspectors, they want to see one FEC for every FT hired.