Job Discussion Forums

[Teacher Lindsay]

Midnight Runs

I read a message on this forum in respect of which one of the respondents suggested " ... you could always pull a midnight runner" as a way of resolving a problem with an employer.

I have been in China only 4 months therefore my knowledge and experience of the China ESL scene is limited.

However, 2 months ago I met a foreign teacher in Chongqing. Originally, he had been employed in Chongqing but was dissatisfied with his employer / employment conditions and so he did a "midnight run".

He went to Hong Kong and in the process he surrended his Foreigner Residence Permit to immigration upon exit. He obtained an "F" visa in Hong Kong, secured employment with a university in Shenyang, and travelled there.

In Shenyang his Foreigner Residence Permit application was rejected pending receipt of a "clearance letter" from his original employer. He phoned the original employer and they told him to visit them in person to discuss the matter.

Of course, his return airfare from Shenyang to Chongqing was at his own expense.

At the time I spoke with him, he had visited his former employer and they were "thinking about" whether they would give him the "clearance letter".

I do not know the final outcome.

Cheers

[anthyp]

Whoops! I think the original quote was mine. I've only been here 3 months myself ... sorry for being so irresponsible there with my advice. I didn't actually mean it to be taken seriously and hope it wasn't by the original poster. I was just kind of commenting on what a shitty situation he was in. If you are going to take such an extreme action, I agree, you'd better be sure that's what you want to get into.

[Roger]

Clearance letter = release letter.
Not only that - the PSB must stamp it to make it legitimate; once he has got it his new employer can apply for his new work visa from the local PSB.

[Cowboy Pete]

Surprise, I have pulled at least 6 runners.
You do not have to leave the country. The problem is when you are in a small city. That is why I only work in the large cities.
Once you got the green book with a proper date stamped and/or written in you can leave whenever. You can now live wherever with the new law passed. Small cities I would imagine are different and so I avoid them as one cannot blend into the mass of foreigners.
The best thing to do is leave the country, not just go to H.K.
Then you get a fresh start.
You will eventually get screwed by your employer, even Dear old Roger has been bent over by his employer.
Read my quote below as it pertains to China.
Love,
Petey
First Mate Extoere
Cabin Boy Philo