Job Discussion Forums

[TeacherInChina]

Assuming that the employer is reputable, what is the processing
time one should expect once you have negotiated/accepted a
contract to the time you receive the appropriate work visa ?

[west2east]

If you are not in China, I say to prospective candidates to allow a minimum of four weeks to give us (the school) enough time to get documents together and mail them out for the teacher to apply for their 'Z' visa. More realistically six weeks is better to allow for any problems, such as snow causing delays in mailing out documents for example.

If you are in already in China, then the main hurdle is getting your RP (residents permit) transferred to the new school. This should take no longer than three weeks. However it can be as little as one or two weeks.

If you are already in China but do not have an RP, ie. you have a L or F visa, then it is likely that you will need to leave China (such as doing the visa run to Hong Kong). Again, it may take a week or two for your new employer to get all relevant documents together before you take them with you to HK. In this situation I'd allow up to four weeks, though it could be done in less than two.

Depending on which consular office you use to get your Z visa, it can be done in as little as the same day or can take as long as a week depending on local policy and different speed services offered.

Does this answer your question?

[TeacherInChina]

I appreciate the detailed reply. I'm in Korea now, but If I should end up
in China/Hong Kong at the end of my contract here, and I am still searching,
then you have answered that too.

So, yes, question answered !

Cheers.