Job Discussion Forums

[catloverd]

I am interested in teaching in China for a semester. I ended up discussing a contract Zhirui Interaction International Culture Exchange Co.,Ltd. I talked to Yolanda Wang. She claimed that I can not get a z visa unless I decide to teach for 1 year. She also claimed I needed 2 years of teaching experience, despite having a BA and TESL degree. I have 6 years of working experience, but less than a year of teaching (I was a volunteer for a semester in college).

She claimed an L Visa is fine since it's a culture exchange program.

Is any of this true? Or should I look into other options. (This is my first time going to China to teach, so I'm new at this)

[roadwalker]

It's not very common for a school to sponsor you for a z-visa if you don't commit to a school year or calendar year. So that is true in a sense, although I doubt that there are any government rules against it. It's just a waste of time, money and effort from the point of view of the school. And the two years' experience is probably true. Some teachers have apparently gotten legit work visas without it, but in most popular locations the government will insist on it.

I don't know anything about a culture exchange program but the L visa is for tourism. You can't legally work as a tourist. So she's lying, or just wrong.

Another possibility is that you can get permission to teach if you are a student on a student visa (e.g. studying Chinese language) and that permission is recorded in your Residence Permit. Here's a non-official website to check out: http://studyinchina.universiablogs.net/2013/07/23/students-beware-new-visa-rules-in-china/ .

Otherwise, I'd stick to finding schools, if possible, that can provide you with paperwork with which you can apply for a z-visa. Or meantime, get that experience elsewhere. Good luck.

[newmansone]

L visa is a visitor visa - a simple google search would show you that.

F visa can be used as "cultural exchange" but you are not allowed to receive a salary.

Otherwise, what she says is true.

[catloverd]

Thanks for the links. Yeah, I looked it up so I was sure I needed a Z Visa, but when someone who is in China is telling you don't and it's legal on an L Visa, it gets confusing.

I'm still unsure about the 2 years teaching experience, because according to what I've read, it's just 2 Years of work experience, which I have been working for 6 years so that's not a problem, does it really have to be teaching?

[jm21]

[litterascriptor]

You'd be surprised how many resumes get altered. Or maybe you wouldn't.