Job Discussion Forums

[The Great Wall of Whiner]

Exactly what are your specific gripes with the school?

Why not go on strike?

Worked for me in Korea....

My boss didn't pay me on time, so I just said "No pay, no teach"

Stayed at home until he had cash in hand. He gave me half my pay, so I said "OK, I will work for half the day".

The rest of the money came later during the day.

[Spiderman Too]

My 2 cents worth:-

There are probably a set of hard and fast rules governing we foreign teachers BUT, if there are, they're not applied in any hard and fast manner.

For example, if you check out the thread "How much tax on earnings??", you'll see that I'm paying 7.5% tax, another poster on the same salary is paying 10%, and another poster is paying 20% based on his salary AND the value of his employer-supplied accommodation.

Under the thread "Is it me or the crack cocaine?", the OP reports that 'his' branch of the Bank of China requires a copy of his employment contract and "some sort of document from the education bureau that verifies you really do teach according to what your FE certificate says.." in order for him to change RMB to US$; 'my' branch required only my passport, Foreign Experts Certificate and monthly tax receipt.

For myself, and 4 other foreign teachers, 'my' university had us sign contracts in triplicate and explained that 1 copy was to be given to the Foreign Affairs Office in the provincial capital, 1 copy was for the university and 1 copy for each of us.

However, the Foreign Affairs Office rejected the contracts because the university had placed their stamp over the university's Foreign Affairs Officer�s signature on only 1 copy. The Foreign Affairs Officer had to make a second trip!

Theoretically, an employer cannot obtain a F.E.C. & F.R.P. on your behalf without a signed contract BUT I'm sure it happens everyday (theoretically a employer cannot change an 'L' visa to a 'Z' visa within China, but it happens often).

You mentioned having a "a temporary residence certificate. Its just a single piece of paper."; I don't know what that is. I have a green booklet titled "Foreign Residence Permit" which is valid for 1 year (from the date of my contract). I did read some time ago on this forum that the Chinese authorities were going to change the booklet to some type of visa-like label that would be stuck in one's passport. Maybe your single piece of paper is, in fact, the new document which is to replace the F.R.P. booklet.

If it is, then you are legally obligated to your employer for the duration of the (apparent) F.R.P. If your residence permit was obtained illegally, obtained without a contract signed by you, you could possibly consult the Foreign Affairs Office of your province and ask for the F.R.P. to be voided.

The quickest and easiest way (setting aside the expenses, of course) is to travel to Hong Kong, handing in your F.R.P. at the airport when departing, obtain a new 'F' visa, and then return to China. If you re-enter China on a new visa, your old visa and/or F.R.P. counts for nothing; at least is did in my case.

[limits601]

Spiderman, thats what i think im going to do. Thanks for the advice.

As for roger, ive been working here now for 2 months and they paid my airfare. Any other questions ?