Job Discussion Forums

[Mixal]

Hi,

my contract expires at the end of January and the school isn't willing to renew it... They will give me a release letter, though. My Residence Permit expires on March 25. How much time do I have to find a new job? Does my new school need to apply for the visa until Jan. 31st or...? Also, is it 100% correct that I need an authenticated non-criminal record from my home country? Impossible to get one in China since I've spent almost a year here? Well, at least my degree is authenticated...

To make things more complicated, I just realized the birth date on my FEC (the old type) is wrong. Is it a serious issue?

Thanks.

[theoriginalprankster]

Look forward to some replies, I'm also in between jobs.

[wuliuchiba]

What if I signed a one-year contract, but mutual consent my school hires a new teacher and I find a new job? I think I will be replaced starting the spring semester. Can I just have my current school send the paperwork to the new school simply transfer the visa?

[The bear]

[Mixal]

Oh yes, that's another issue. But since my FEC is until Jan. 31, doesn't that mean I'm exempt from the new policy since it becomes effective a month after?

Regarding the police check, few employers have already mentioned it. I told them I have the paper from my home country with me here, but they emphasized it needs to be authenticated at the Chinese embassy back home.

[Non Sequitur]

[kev20]

Where in China are you OP? What kind of job are you looking for?

[The bear]

[teenoso]

For a new job application , in some places in China, the police records check needs to be notarised, certified and authenticated: in the UK this is generally a three stage process, depending on whether the criminal record check has been signed by a police official - if signed , no need for notarisation. The UK foreign office certifies the document, and the Chinese embassy authenticates.

If you are transferring to another job with your existing police check, maybe the rules are different.

I used an apostille service in the UK to get my record check through the three stage process , at a cost of about £170, plus postage from /to China which cost £40. In total it took 5- 6 weeks - using EMS from China to UK, and 'airmail signed for' UK to China. A courier service from UK to China would have added another £40, I think.

On the birthdate /FEC mistake, this should not be a problem because your old school will cancel that FEC when you leave, and the new school will apply for a new one .

[happeningthang]

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news - but the new rules and they way they're being applied tells me that no matter what you do - if you're leaving one employer and going to another - you have go through the entire process again.

Your current FEC will likely be cancelled almost as soon as your contract is finished - and it's up to the OP's current school wether or not they'll allow the Resident Permit to continue. By rights I think that's supposed to be cancelled as soon as the contract is over too.

The new rule that says you must apply for your new FEC within 30 days of its expiration is only for an existing employer that wants to continue employment. If you're changing employers - the new employer must reapply for another FEC - which means you need an authenticated police check (issued no later than six months ago) and an authenticated degree. That can take a month or so - plus the processing time by the FEB to issue your z-visa.

If you don't have your new employer already in place - then you can't even get the process started - although you should get your degree and criminal check authenticated as soon as possible to give yourself some time.

[Non Sequitur]

I've just learned that in Shandong teachers cannot work more than five years at the same school. This seems to indicate that teachers CAN move between schools in an orderly fashion.

[Kalkstein]

[Non Sequitur]

This strengthens my point that with such a policy 'official', the school would be required facilitate (or at least not hinder) a transfer.
Maybe it's more sinister and they don't want anyone in China longer than 5 years.

[hz88]

This post and its answers seemed to have got convoluted.

With regards to the OP's initial question. the first thing you should be doing is find another job and a school that will accept you.

The fact you still have an old style FEC booklet is going to be your first hurdle. All applications now, be it renewals, transfers or new applications are handled under the work permit card system. Your current FEC is academic in this regard. It will still need to be cancelled and the cancellation letter obtained but a new application for a work permit will have to be created by your new employer.

For this you will need to have an authenticated degree. The criminal record check at the moment is required to be authenticated only in certain provinces, however you will need the original certificate.

As correctly mentioned you can obtain a Chinese one which will be accepted provided you have two clear years of residence in China. The application for this is relatively straightforward if you have remained in one city, however expect roadblocks if you have exited China during this period or have moved around.

Given the time frame you have and the fact that Spring Festival is in the middle of this it is going to be very tight. Your biggest ally will be your new school. If they have the approval to issue work permit cards and you have the correct documents they should be able to liaise with your existing school if necessary to expedite the process.

You should be doing things in this order:-

1) New job. 2) sign contract. 3) new school begins online WP application. 4) current school cancels existing FEC booklet. 5) provide new school with all required documents. 6) assuming WP application is approved move to new location without delay. 7) new school will obtain WP card and process new RP in new location.

The last stage is critical and needs to be done at least 30 days before its expiry. If beyond that you will have no choice but to exit China and reapply for a fresh z visa and start the whole process again.

Just for clarification, there is no such thing now as a Foreign Experts Certificate (FEC) anymore. It was renamed Foreigners Work Permit (FWP). The only people with FEC's should be those who either applied or were processed as a renewal under the previous system which officially went offline in July. Anyone obtaining a new one or renewing beyond then would have been processed under the new FWP system.

The five year rule does actually exist in the official guidelines. If you translate the Chinese it says 'in one jurisdiction'. It is open to interpretation and is one of those rules that can be used as and when needed. It could be a school uses it as a face saving strategy not to renew. It seems to be inconsistent in its use. It certainly has not hindered me, I am on year 11 at the same school.

[Non Sequitur]

Agree. Get new job first. Then you have an ally.