Job Discussion Forums

[eik]

Is there a new visa regulation which states that teachers have to be in the age range between 20 and 55 years old ? I've seen quite a few schools which mention this age range. Or is this just a preference ?

[Miles Smiles]

It may be a decree by law in some areas, but in my school, I'm working with a 65 year-old, a 75 year-old and a 55 year-old.

[choudoufu]

it may not be visa-related. could be due to requirements for
schools to provide health insurance. insurance companies
may have an upper age limit.

[The Great Wall of Whiner]

The age range is fairly obvious. You can't have a 19 year-old teacher teaching 21 year-old college kids. It's ridiculous to say the least. Most foreigners teaching English in China do not have proper credentials to be teachers, but ordinary Chinese do not know this. However, if you put a 19 year-old into the front of the classroom, students and parents will wonder how Mr. John Smith from America graduated from university at such a low age.

Upper age limits are nothing new, either. In the West, we have 60-65 retirement ages.

[randyj]

China has no regulations, only guidelines.

[xi.gua]

Yeah there are guidelines, and even then, there are guidelines based on where you live in China. If you're applying in Hunan, they have recently become more strict because a few FT's have died here in the passed few years. Everything is relative.

[drrjon]

As the Foreign HR director for a Training center in Chongqing I have been told by the local government to only hire those with a 4 year college degree, are native English speakers, and under 60 years of age. I was given an exception for teacher who turned 64 but we had to write a letter of responsibility. I do know that the same government office will ignore these regulations if the teaching jobs are in smaller towns away from the city proper.

[The Great Wall of Whiner]