Job Discussion Forums

thecrystalhaze · Joined: 18 Jul 2010 Posts: 11 Location: Ukraine

My college applied for my work permit and invitation in Guanzhou province. They told me it takes a month or 2. Their timeline is too vague for me, as I'm anxious to be in China asap. I asked for some more details, but got a similar vague response. I'm not worried, I'd just like more info. What's the normal process time for the work permit and invitation? Then I get it sent to me and go to the embassy here in the states. Any wait time there? Or am I almost good to go once the invitation and work permit go through? Am I really going to have to wait 2 months from now or can I at least hope I'll be on a plane in a month? Thanks.

dean_a_jones · Joined: 03 Jul 2009 Posts: 1151 Location: Wuhan, China

Two months is a pretty long time--it should take them a couple weeks (some schools are quicker) to get the stuff, then they need to send it to you, and you need to apply for the visa (takes a couple days). The whole process should be able to be completed in around 3 weeks. However, I suppose they could be on summer holiday, and don't plan on processing it until they return, which would delay the whole process for however long that lasts.

thecrystalhaze · Joined: 18 Jul 2010 Posts: 11 Location: Ukraine

Well the college told me they were applying that day, so summer holidays don't seem to be a concern. Now I'm just confused why they told me 1-2 months. I hope they were just erring on the conservative side.

kev7161 · Joined: 06 Feb 2004 Posts: 5880 Location: Suzhou, China

I was talking to the guy in my foreign affairs office today about just this topic. He was telling me that he was still waiting to get the okay and paperwork in order to send invitation letters to the new hires so they can then submit for a Z visa. I asked them if he thought that they were cutting it a little close and he said he has no control over it. I brought my passport in last week to get my new Residence permit and got it back yesterday. It's a bit different process, but some paperwork can get done quickly, other things seem to take whatever length of time the government wants.

To defend them, however - - they are processing a lot of incoming prospective visa holders in a small window of time. Also, they are becoming a bit more stringent in their rules - - it gets tighter and tighter each year. He told me that someone that was applying for a job here (who is 65) was turned down because of his age. I asked him, should I be here when I'm 60+ (and if I am, someone please shoot me!), would I be able to renew my RP? He said probably as I've been a long-termer here.

He also said he had to turn down someone from the Philippines who had an English major to come here to teach. According to him, anyone who is not from USA, Canada, England, Australia, S. Africa (I think), or New Zealand (I think) cannot come here to teach English or teach another subject in English. I suppose an Education degree would fall under this same rule/logic. If someone from almost any country has, say, a Math degree, then they can get their visa (in the assumption they are coming here to teach Math; high English/grammar/pronunciation skills are not so much of a concern I guess) and can then teach pretty much whatever the school asks them to! So, to sum up: A Math major can come and teach English, regardless of their country of origin, but an English major may not be able to come to teach English if they were born in the "wrong" country.

dean_a_jones · Joined: 03 Jul 2009 Posts: 1151 Location: Wuhan, China

Non Sequitur · Joined: 23 May 2010 Posts: 4724 Location: China

What date do lessons start?
That's the killer question from the Chinese side. I don't think they worry too much if it puts you under pressure to get your visa and travel in the last week in August.
That said in the State unis the freshmen do a few weeks military so even if work officially starts 1 Sept there may not be much happening in the classroom.

thecrystalhaze · Joined: 18 Jul 2010 Posts: 11 Location: Ukraine

Lessons start Sept 1st. I was also told there's a second crew of teachers that come a little later, maybe around the 15th. I'd love to be on my way to China the last week of August.

Non Sequitur · Joined: 23 May 2010 Posts: 4724 Location: China

If you know you are in the 1 Sept group, then do all you can to get ready while you await the Chinese go-ahead.
They don't realise that the flexibility to get a really good airline deal is compromised by being forced to book at the last minute. Assuming you get an airfare allowance and not a ticket price refund, this can be an issue.
Interested that there is a group of FTs starting later. First time I've heard of this. Certainly there have always been late starting teachers for various reasons but not a planned group.
Be interested in the number of FTs, as would need to be sizeable to make that kind of planning worthwhile.

thecrystalhaze · Joined: 18 Jul 2010 Posts: 11 Location: Ukraine

Well I assume it all depends on how quickly the paperwork goes through. I'd love to be in the Sept 1st group. I don't think I have enough info to go ahead and buy a plane ticket though. I'm going to wait to hear from the college. They have just under 80 FT's.