Job Discussion Forums

[ecubyrd94]

What kind a package do you have going (salary, vacation, benefits, etc..) and are you happy with it? I had no idea about what is fair and reasonable prior to coming here. I'm on my second job in less than 6 months and couldn't be more pleased now.

The first job was of the language mill variety (average salary, terrible vacation, bad hours, etc...fair benefits)

The second job is in a "real" school (better than average salary, good vacation, normal working hours)

[tianfuoe]

If you are really wanting people to share salary information, you should take the lead.

As far as myself, much higher than average pay for the region of the country I am in, excellent mid and year end bonuses, 12 month contract, good benefits.

Please also keep in mind that many of our contracts state that our salaries are confidential...and many of us honor our word and aren't going to tell you our exact salary.

I will say this about my total compensation package. This include salary, bonuses, meal allowances....all money paid to me throughout the 12 month contract...and I do work at a uni. 99,520 RMB per year, plus a nice apartment, paid utilites, reimbursement for the usual medical exam/visa/RP expenses. I work 10.5 hours a week in the classroom, 2 hours a week office hours, 2 hours a week on lesson prep. I work 35 weeks a year. I am in western China, in a city of about 2 million, but close enough to a city of 12 million that I can go anytime I want.

[kev7161]

As for salary, let's just say it is more than enough to allow me to live comfortably in China (I'm taking home now at least as much as I took home when teaching in the states). I earn enough to easily convert and send half (or more) home to the US for a couple of bills, retirement savings, and shopping on the internet (such as Amazon). The other half I use here for travel, expensive western foods, nights out with friends, and savings for local traveling and shopping.

My school provides for me an off-campus two bedroom apartment on the 9th floor. However, I'm looking for a new place as this one is a bit too small for me. Nice enough of course, but I would like just a little more breathing room (I really want a bigger kitchen and bathroom!). They also pay the utilities, which includes everything except my mobile phone.

With other bonuses and medical reimbursements, I take in well over 5000 rmb per semester for those.

The school reimburses me for airfare up to 10,000 per year. There are probably a couple of other things I'm not thinking of at the moment. I'm in my 7th contract here (7th year) and am generally okay with my job. I mean, there's not a lot of pressure and the school seems satisfied with my job performance. I have a big crop of lazy students this year so that can get frustrating.

When I first started here, I was the only teacher in my department and we had my one 1st grade class. Now, more than 6 years later, we have 12 foreign teachers in my department and 34 FTs altogether. The student body has grown so much that they have had to use another location this year for some of the kindergarten students as well as another department of students. I know it would take a couple of years, but I'm kind of hoping they'll build a new campus somewhere and either abandon this one or use it for perhaps only their "regular" Chinese classes and students.

I've lived in China for over 8 years now and it is truly the job that keeps me here. I'm getting too old now to think I can blithely quit this job whenever I want and go skipping along somewhere else and pick up one that would keep me as comfortable as this one does. I don't WANT to spend the next 10 years here in China . . . but I may have to!

[The Great Wall of Whiner]

Wage Confidentiality Clauses:

Wage confidentiality benefits the employers and I would never sign a contract that had that clause. In my opinion it is an archaic remnant of virtual slavery intended to keep wages down and put a stop to workers' rights to collectively raise an industry's wages. Not even sure how many times in one day people ask me how much money I make; countless.

Different Types of Learning Institutes = Different Wages:

University jobs are plum positions it would seem, which is why the salaries are at the low end of all ESL jobs in China. People are happy and willing to work for 3000-4000 RMB a month. Granted, they work lower hours compared to other kinds of schools, but these jobs are mostly for single folks and those who would rather stay at home alone, IMHO. Whether they are doing their own studies or enjoy being in a controlled environment, up to them. If I was single, retired, or lazy, I would also take a job like this.

The single little college in the tiny city I live in has a foreigner earning 6000 RMB a month. How much he works, I do not know.

Language mills seem to pay upwards of 6000 RMB a month, but many are now paying well over 13k a month. I am in the latter, but as noted previously, I work my tail off for it. I am not lazy and I have no problem making money for the boss so long as he pays me a fair wages.

International schools in theory should be paying western salaries. Some Korean schools undercut, but they also undercut on qualifications. There are teachers right now in China making 30k a month teaching normal everyday things to primary kids such as mathematics, P.E., English, art, etc. but these are mostly fully qualified teachers back at home.

Benefits:

It is not difficult to find a school paying you an end-of-year bonus for airflight or what have you. My feeling is this: if you want a foreigner to come to your country to work, you pay them. The job market is changing however, with scores of foreigners already in China and employers are learning this.

Most schools outside of the major cities (and even many within) will provide housing, usually private non-shared.

Some schools will try to cram you into an apartment with another foreigner or two to save money. They will explain it away as a "safety" thing, but it's just to save money.

It seems as though more and more schools are trying to not provide housing. This is caused by the housing crunch in the larger urban areas and also the growing availability of foreigners already there.

Working Visas:

Any school that cannot provide a working visa for you is not legally allowed to hire foreigners. Period. If you have any problems with the school, you will have little to no recourse if they do not pay your wages, abuse you in any way, do not honour the contract, etc.

As I understand it, you have to get your working visa from outside of China, although mine have always been gotten from within China. Don't ask me why; perhaps different locations are different.

Some schools might want to give you a business visa or have you work on a tourist visa. They are confidant that the police will not knock on their door, and they may be right. But there have been stories of foreigners being forced to stay in a closet or under a table while inspectors go around looking for a foreigner and even interviewing students.

Then VS. Now:

When I first started in China I was working for 18 hours a week at 6000 RMB a month with a small (6k) bonus at the end of the year.

Now I am working much more (about 28 hrs. a week) at the very same job but earning over 15k a month, a 1k monthly bonus and a 20k annual bonus. Housing, utility bills and logistics included.

I also supplement my income which effectively doubles my monthly wage.

My school is not your every day school and my situation is not usual. However, my boss is very fair and knows how to keep his staff happy. He seldom has staff problems which saves him money in the long run,

[RonHex]

I'm doing well enough in Wuhan

20classes a week (35minute classes with chinese co-teacher)
close to 10,000rmb a month with about 17weeks paid holiday a year... 8000 cash bonus at the end of june.

Some months I can double my income with outside jobs.. but i usually burn out and take a month or 2 off... now that my wife is earning 9500rmb I dont feel the need to run around and pick up lots of classes.. I just stick with a few high paying privates(300-400rmb an hour)

[MisterButtkins]

[xjgirl]

chengdu

[nomad-ish]

i've got the salary confidentiality agreement in my contract, and for one, i'm glad of it. i work with a few other foreign teachers and i think there'd be a lot of problems between the admin (and ourselves) if we started comparing salaries. however, come contract renewal time, i'd definitely ask around at other schools to see what the salaries are like there. remember, your salary will (well, should, anyways) be based on what experience and qualifications you have).

for my salary, i'll just say that i make about triple what some uni. teachers are making (i'm at a private school). my vacation is ok; it's 2 weeks (not including national holidays) since my contract isn't a full year, however for a pay cut, i can take off additional time. one-way airfare is included, insurance too. i've got normal working hours, 22 classes a week. overall, a very good position; my only complaints are with the very boring (but simple) curriculum i have to teach =( plus, our books have some errors in them, it annoys the hell out of me

[Guerciotti]

I have a very average, possibly below average uni job. 16 hours per week for 5,000 yuan per month, on campus apartment (don't ask) with all bills paid, round trip flight home (nice). This year I get paid for 12 months.

I have the maximum 16 hours with 8 classes including four writing classes with papers to grade. They told me not to grade papers*. So sad. I think I'm getting the short end of the stick. They also told me I will have less classes next semester.

No. I don't believe them.

I allegedly have two side jobs which are frankly easier than the first year. Not easy, but easier. This year I quit all other tutoring and side jobs besides those two. I wanted to only have one side job, but ... forget it, long story.

It is OK for now but I won't be here next year. I believe I can do better, even in China.

G

* I love** this place. I have permission to do a bad job!

** Facetious sarcasm, or some variation on that idea. Don't ask me, today is my day off.

[ecubyrd94]

Thanks for sharing, everyone. I wasn't looking for exact specifics; just wanted a general idea as to what others out there have going for them and whether that they are content with it. I felt like both I and many of my colleagues at my first school (won't even call it that or call us teachers) were over-qualified and could do better. I'm content now at my new place of employment. It is on par with and exceeds in some aspects my previous position in the ROK (for many years), where I was at the top end of the pay scale.

[rayman]

I teach at an international school and on a package of around US$95000/year.

For K-12 teachers, China tends to offer one of the better opportunities in the world to save without sacrificing too much in the lifestyle department, as with a country like Saudi Arabia, for example.

[ecubyrd94]

[rayman]

Having dependents definitely adds a lot to the package. School fees would otherwise cost around US$20 000/year per child at my current school. Then add medical insurance and flights to the mix...

[SahanRiddhi]

[LongShiKong]

Huh?

You're making over 60,000 RMB a month and you're bragging about the free apartment and baozi? They're caviar-filled baozi, right?