Job Discussion Forums

[AndyinHK]

TESOLman wrote:

Perhaps the shady operators (Bond, etc.) will have to close their doors.


Why is Bond shady? I'm just curious as I was considering a position with them.

[no_exit]

Volodiya,

My employer will need to change my F visa to a Z visa. Previously, like you said (just a few months ago even), this could be done in country, but two employers tell me that now you must leave the country in order to change visa status. Visa extensions, as far as I know, can still be done right here. Ask your employer if they have heard of any new visa rules, as I think the change is quite recent. Like I said, two different schools told me the exact same thing about this.

[struelle]

So to recap, it appears that employers can still change an F or L to a Z, but the FT has to go outside the country to do it. Although inconvenient, it is still a better arrangement than doing everything in one's home country beforehand. If you get the Z before you come to China, you have to take a health exam (and later do it again in China), and sign up with an employer without having a chance to check them out first on their own turf. Recruiters can screw over teachers more if they hire using this method, because the FT doesn't have a chance to actually come to China first and ask questions.

I still think the best way to find jobs is to get a tourist visa and come over, and start knocking on doors. The chances of a win-win situation are much higher this way, as both employer and teacher can get to know each other first before signing a contract. When the L needs to be changed to a Z, it's just a matter of doing a visa run.

Working in South China would be the advantage here, obviously.

Teachers in Thailand and Korea need to do visa runs all the time, when I taught in China I was lucky that I never had to do any.

Steve

[yaco]

My employer still changes L Visa's to Z Visa's without leaving the country.

Additionally if the teacher signs a 2nd year, a new Z Visa is issued without the teacher leaving China.

[ymmv]

I hate to LITERALLY hijack this thread and move it elsewhere, but don't you think it would be best if we could combine all speculation and experience with the new regulations into one thread? Not only for our own information, but for the current and future benefit of all those who come to Dave's each month with visa questions.

The old rules, it appears, are out the window. There are two concurrent threads running on this issue now. This one, and the one here:

http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/job/viewtopic.php?t=19954

Yamari raised the issue first with this thread on the board. He uncovered the dragon's tail (as the Chinese like to say). Somehow, we need to combine the two threads because no exit, steve and yaco's last three comments add nuance to the ongoing discussion of the new rules.

Keep it here or move it there, but let's consolidate this discussion.

[Roger]

[yaco]

I apologise Roger, for not being more clear in my post.

It should read 'that my employer changes an L Visa to a Z Visa without the employee leaving China.'

Thanks