Job Discussion Forums

k.newborough · Joined: 08 Oct 2010 Posts: 7

someone please help me!

I got offered a job at my friends school in jiangsu province about 2 months ago now. I've had the interview, sent my docs, had a private medical, blood tests etc, and then sent off for my FEC.

My FEC has just been turned down by the local govt and has been referred to the provincial govt. Is this normal? The reason they give is that I have no tefl certificate as such. I did a degree in English and took 40 credits in tefl, which are equivalent to any other TEFL - these modules are shown on my transcript, and I have had my tutor write a letter on university headed paper explaining my TEFL qualification. My friend who runs the school said they spend all their time trying to convince them that I had a TEFL- they cant understand why I don't have two bits of paper- I cannot have one qualification for two things!!!

I am annoyed and worried- Anyone can get a 20 hour online certificate for a couple of quid and they would not question their teaching ability, but I have done it pretty thoroughly and they won't give me my certificate. I am worried because I have no job at the moment as I thought I would be in China by now.

I have heard that people can get their FEC without even a degree- why are they disputing my TEFL?? has anyone else encountered any problems?? would I have the same problem if I applied for a job in a different province?? any advice or suggestions would be very welcome on this x

ymmv · Joined: 14 Jul 2004 Posts: 387

k.newborough · Joined: 08 Oct 2010 Posts: 7

It's a Bachelor of arts degree (I'm from the UK) I got a 2.1- which is pretty good. It's not the degree that's being disputed but the TEFL certificate!

ymmv · Joined: 14 Jul 2004 Posts: 387

xiao51 · Joined: 06 Feb 2009 Posts: 208

Dear Kind Friend,

You are being played with -- severely so I hate to say.

In Jiangsu Province, NO local goverment authority has the power / authority to issue / deny foreign expert certificates. Without exception. There are local drop off points where schools that are too lazy to make the trip to Nanjing to obtain the document may leave the papers and then the local drop off office forwards it to Nanjing.

Each and every foreign expert certificate in Jiangsu is issued in Nanjing without exception. It's a very, very small office with a polite staff and a kind director.

I personally feel that for some reason the school is playing with you. A foreign expert certicate in Jiangsu can issue in three days -- it does not take two months under any circumstances.

Either the school has found someone else, or you are too expensive for them, or too young or too old for them, and Chinese-style, you will never know the truth.

Yes, often these days a TESL certificate is required in Jiangsu but this requirement tends to be applied in a far-less-than-uniform matter.

This sounds like a language training center to me, and for some reason, it sounds like EF, or Web, or Shane, or Aston or one of those as they usually engage in these kind of subterfuges.

k.newborough · Joined: 08 Oct 2010 Posts: 7

I have to disagree that they are messing around as it is a friend of mine from the UK who is now managing the school. He tells me he has never had anyone refused before and is just as baffled as I am with it all.

k.newborough · Joined: 08 Oct 2010 Posts: 7

In reply to ymmv- I only TEFL experience gained during my teaching practice, but have experience as a volunteer in my local primary school. The school says the lack of tefl experience isn't a problem.

k.newborough · Joined: 08 Oct 2010 Posts: 7

ymmv- just checked out the link! It seems to me that different provinces make their own rules. It has been suggested that it depends on how 'connected' the schools are?!?

ymmv · Joined: 14 Jul 2004 Posts: 387

HiddenTreasure · Joined: 03 Oct 2010 Posts: 81

xiao51 · Joined: 06 Feb 2009 Posts: 208

Examing and Approving Authority
Jiangsu Provincial Bureau for Foreign Experts Affairs
Inquiry Tel: (025) 83236024
Fax: (025) 83236136
Address: No. 49 North Zhongshan Road, Nanjing

1. Q: What is Foreign Expert Certificate?
A: Foreign Expert Certificate is the identification card for a foreign expert during his/her tenure of employment in China and an indispensable requirement for applying for Residence Permit in China. The holder can enjoy civil treatment in China.
Foreign Expert Certificate is divided into two categories: economic and technologic category and cultural and educational category.
2. Q: Where is the application for Foreign Expert Certificate processed?
A: Jiangsu Provincial Bureau for Foreign Experts Affairs is responsible for processing applications from the institutions directly under the Central Government (ministries and commissions) and Jiangsu provincial authority.
The Personnel Bureaus at municipal level are responsible for processing applications from other institutions according to the Principle of Locality Jurisdiction.
3. Q: Who is eligible to apply for Foreign Expert Certificate?
A: (1) Foreigners who are employed as technologists or managers in Jiangsu Province for the implementation of the agreements or treaties among governments or international organizations or the foreign trade contracts;
(2) Foreign professionals who are employed in Jiangsu Province in the fields of education, scientific research, news media, publication, culture, art, health, sports and the like;
(3) Foreigners who are specialized in technology or management and employed by enterprises in Jiangsu Province as deputy general manager and above or other posts enjoying similar treatments;
(4) Foreign representatives assigned to Jiangsu Province by overseas experts organizations or talent agencies which have been awarded permission by the State Administration for Foreign Experts Affairs;
(5) Foreign specialists who are in urgent need in Jiangsu Province and employed as technologists or managers in the fields of economy, technology, engineering, finance, accounting, taxation, tourism and the like.
Only with the bachelor�s degree and five years of related working experiences at least may the foreign experts in (2) and (3) above be qualified (the language teacher with the bachelor�s degree and two years of related working experiences at least).
The employer of the foreign expert shall be the one to handle the application for Foreign Expert Certificate.
4. Q: What are the documents for applying for Foreign Expert Certificate?
A: If the applicant has been issued Working Permit in China, he or she shall submit:
(1) Finished Application Form for Foreign Expert Certificate;
(2) Official letter issued by employer (including the name of the employer, general information about the applicant, reasons to apply for the certificate and duration of the application);
(3) Affix of Working Permit in China;
(4) Valid passport and working visa for verification together with one photocopy of each;
(5) Two two-inch bareheaded color photos;
(6) A photocopy of employment contract (for the cultural and educational category, the employment contract should be the standard contract uniformly printed by the State Administration for Foreign Experts Affairs);
(7) Certificate of insurance (accompanying family members should also be insured);
( Cool

The accompanying family members should provide the materials in (4) and (5) above together with the Health Certificate issued by the health quarantine departments designated by the Chinese government or foreign medical institutions approved by overseas Chinese Embassies and Consulates.
If the applicant has NOT been issued Working Permit in China, he or she shall submit:
(1) Finished Application Form for Foreign Expert Certificate;
(2) Official letter issued by employer (including the name of the employer, general information about the applicant, reasons to apply for the certificate and duration of the application);
(3) A Photocopy of Certificate of Authorized Qualification for Employment of Foreign Experts issued to the employer (cultural and educational category)/ A photocopy of Business License (economic and technologic category);
(4) Curriculum vitae (including education and working experiences);
(5) A photocopy of the last degree diploma or professional testimonial together with Chinese translation;
(6) Valid passport and working visa for verification together with one photocopy of each;
(7) A photocopy of the Health Certificate issued by the health quarantine departments designated by the Chinese government or foreign medical institutions approved by overseas Chinese Embassies and Consulates；
( Cool

A photocopy of employment contract (for the cultural and educational category, the employment contract should be the standard contract uniformly printed by the State Administration for Foreign Experts Affairs);
(9) Two two-inch bareheaded color photos;
(10) Certificate of insurance (accompanying family members should also be insured);
(11) The accompanying family members should provide the materials in (6), (7) and (9) above. Children under 18 are free from (7).
If the applicant has changed employer in China, he or she shall submit:
(1) Finished Application Form for Foreign Expert Certificate;
(2) Official letter issued by employer (including the name of the employer, general information about the applicant, reasons to apply for the certificate and duration of the application);
(3) Certificate (original) of terminating the contract between the applicant and previous employer (for the cultural and educational category, a recommendation letter from previous employer with unified format is required)；
(4) Valid passport and working visa for verification together with one photocopy of each;
(5) Curriculum vitae (including education and working experiences);
(6) A photocopy of the last degree diploma or professional testimonial together with Chinese translation;
(7) A Photocopy of Certificate of Authorized Qualification for Employment of Foreign Experts issued to the employer (cultural and educational category)/ A photocopy of Business License (economic and technologic category);
( Cool

A photocopy of employment contract (for the cultural and educational category, the employment contract should be the standard contract uniformly printed by the State Administration for Foreign Experts Affairs);
(9) Two two-inch bareheaded color photos;
(10) Certificate of insurance (accompanying family members should also be insured);
(11) The accompanying family members should provide the materials in (4) and (9) above.
If the applicant has extended employment contract, he or she shall submit:
(1) Finished Application Form for Foreign Expert Certificate;
(2) Official letter for renewing Foreign Expert Certificate (including the reasons to renewal, the duration of renewal and relevant supporting documents for updating the foreign expert�s data);
(3) Valid passport and working visa for verification together with one photocopy of each;
(4) Valid Foreign Expert Certificate;
(5) A photocopy of employment contract;
(6) A two-inch bareheaded color photo;
(7) Certificate of insurance (accompanying family members should also be insured);
( Cool

The accompanying family members should provide the materials in (3) and (6) above.

xiao51 · Joined: 06 Feb 2009 Posts: 208

To make it clear in order to assist various of the previous posters, I have posted the above.

1. In Jiangsu Province, the Nanjing Bureau handles all foreign expert certificates for schools, institutions of higher learning, etc., etc., language training centers, etc., etc. on which a resident permit / Z visa for teaching will issue by the PSB.

2. Local Personnel Bureaus handle all foreign expert certificates for those seeking employment in areas other than schools, institutions of higher learning, language training centers, corporations, etc, etc., on which a resident permit / employment other than teaching Z visa will issue.

3. Their telephone number and full address have been posted for all concerned. They are located in the Ministry of Education Building in Nanjing, I believe on the 20th or 22nd floor floor, to the right when one exists the elevator.

4. A previous poster has mentioned that perhaps the local Education Bureau might be involved. In Jiangsu Province, local Education Bureaus do not get involved with language training centers.

5. Something is amiss here in this entire process and perhaps the documents were incorrectly submitted. Perhaps the school has had its hiring authority withdrawn by Nanjing. It could be one of 10,000 things.

6. Again, the original poster has posted no concrete details of the job -- the city, whether or not it is a private institution or a public institution, whether it is a corporate or a public employer, etc., etc., so all of this just remains conjecture.

ymmv · Joined: 14 Jul 2004 Posts: 387

ymmv · Joined: 14 Jul 2004 Posts: 387

@ the original poster:

The city would be useful information.

The type of "school" would be critical information.

I've been assuming by "school" you mean a proper, government school (Primary, Junior, Middle, College, Institute, or University).

If it is a "training center" or its ilk, my advice changes...and not based on what HFG/xiao51 has posted.

ymmv · Joined: 14 Jul 2004 Posts: 387

@ HFG/xiao51

For once, you have unintentionally actually posted something that is useful.
The Jiangsu Regs you posted help answer a number of questions that have appeared here recently on other posts-at least as far as Jiangsu is concerned. A sincere thank you on this one.

The following quotes are from the Jiangsu Foreign Expert Affairs FAQ as posted by xiao51: