Job Discussion Forums

cfjw · Joined: 07 Jul 2007 Posts: 10

Hi Tw,
My wife has Australian residency, not citizenship. She has retained the Chinese passport but not chinese citizenship. (Although she informs me that she would have no problem if relocating to shanghai).
That's a bit worrying, sounds to me like she is in limbo?

eslstudies · Joined: 17 Dec 2006 Posts: 1061 Location: East of Aden

vikuk · Joined: 23 May 2007 Posts: 1842

SnoopBot · Joined: 21 Jun 2007 Posts: 740 Location: USA

tw · Joined: 04 Jun 2005 Posts: 3898

cfjw · Joined: 07 Jul 2007 Posts: 10

Hi Eslstudies,
Your quite right, I would have thought that since she has not applied for citizenship here that she would have retained her Chinese citizenship. She has just told me that when she applied for her immigration to Australia, she was asked to give up her chinese citizenship by the chinese authorities. In effect, since she has not applied here, she is not a citizen of either country at the moment. This is starting to confuse me as well. When we have travelled to china recently over the years, only myself and our son (who have aussie passports and citizenship have needed to apply for chinese visas). My wife has also informed me that should she wish to reapply for chinese citizenship, she would be required to divorce me first, re-apply, then re-marry. At the moment though, she can return and live in china with no restrictions. (Most of this info has come courtesy of a chinese family friend here in sydney, who is an immigration agent)

Hi Vikuk,
I share your concerns.With regards to the school previously mentioned, it was recommended to my brother-in-law by as a local school that accepted foreign students in the area close to their home.
I realise that the school curriculum and standards are completely alien to myself, but I am hoping that six months in shanghai will allow me closer inspection and the chance to talk with other foreigners living in shanghai with children regarding different schools and options.
One of the main reasons for our possible move to shanghai is that my family, parents, etc are all over the place, queensland, canada, etc.
My wife's family in shanghai is very large, many kids, grandkids. It is a wonderful environment for children. Sure, I have my reservations about
the chinese education system, but by the same token, we have several degree qualified friends here in sydney that were educated in china.

cfjw · Joined: 07 Jul 2007 Posts: 10

Hi Eslstudies,
Okay, this was staring to bother me, but I have just spoken with immigration out here. I don't know where my wife got the idea that she was "stateless".
I have been informed that she still has chinese nationality, and that she will continue to, up until she applies for aussie citizenship. Also when she needs to renew her chinese passport, she will be required to obtain written evidence from the australian embassy that she has not applied for australian citizenship as yet.
So yes, she is still an chinese citizen and chinese passport holder.
I apologize for all this confusion.

vikuk · Joined: 23 May 2007 Posts: 1842

cfjw · Joined: 07 Jul 2007 Posts: 10

Hi Vikuk,
Yes, there are many concerns. Is that classroom paint lead free? Why is this milk still fresh after 3 weeks? Pollution, lunatic traffic conditions...................
These things do worry me, but so do a lot of things in Sydney.
Crime, drugs, rising cost of living and housing, the possibility of my son finishing university with a $100,000 debt hanging over his head and being effectively priced out of ever entering the housing market, etc.....................
Why Shanghai, you may ask?
I still believe that the chinese hold certain values close, family, continually improving one's self and one's education, a sense of community,.............
(values that are rapidly disappearing in Australia)
Anyway, I could ramble on for hours on this subject..............

vikuk · Joined: 23 May 2007 Posts: 1842

Songbird · Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2007 9:41 am Post subject:

Snoopbot, good luck- and I sincerely mean it. It's not fair that so many are pushing in without proper qualifications, I hope you find something somewhere....

I do know of a job going in Wuxi, 20 hours a week, 6-7000Y/ month + 450 food allowance, accom, flight etc....I'd love to take it but I'm still under contract another year where I currently am (which, to be fair, is a good place, but the pay sucks). I will contact this mob a year from now though.

Let me know if you're interested but I can't personally vouch for them, I just know of it (2nd hand info tells me it IS a good place though).

SnoopBot · Joined: 21 Jun 2007 Posts: 740 Location: USA

cfjw · Joined: 07 Jul 2007 Posts: 10

Hi Songbird,
Thanks for the encouragement, and the job tip, I quite like that suzhou/wuxi area.

eslstudies · Joined: 17 Dec 2006 Posts: 1061 Location: East of Aden

Snoopbot and Songbird
I've sent a link to your pm boxes. I worked there and it was pretty good. Crtainly one of the better SH gigs. I'm sending this because of your qualifications, which are somewhat rare in China.