Job Discussion Forums

tranquility 500 · Joined: 10 Nov 2004 Posts: 2

Hi, I`m an American. I`ve been teaching ESL for the last few years in montreal,canada. I`m interested in going to Beijing for awhile to teach esl. Can you teach there without a work visa & just a tourist visa ?? If not,does anyone know if one`s earnings in china are reported back to the us of a & whether one is taxed on earnings from china, back in the states. Thanks !!!

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

Forgive me, bro, for being a little frank with you:
Methinks you are asking silly questions that no self-respecting adult asks. Who on Earth would be allowed to work in the U.S.A. of all countries without undergoing prequalification investigation and approval for immigration?

Why do people think teaching is the reverse side of travelling??? Such haziness in your mind causes all of us to lose our face.

You can't work legally in any country without the relevant work visa. Why should that be different for Americans, or for people coming to China???

lagerlout2006 · Joined: 17 Sep 2003 Posts: 985

And why would you even want to do it? It's easier just to get a proper visa--a school that can't do it should be avoided anyway.

Tax at home is the least of your worries. I'm more worried about lightning or being run over by a tractor.

cj750 · Joined: 27 Apr 2004 Posts: 3081 Location: Beijing

Many people teach with out the proper papers and in schools that are not allow but know the problems that can come about...if the PSB comes to your school and checks the foreigners and you do not have the proper papers they can make you pay a fine plus all the earnings..now the reality is when ever I go on vacation I usually work a few hours ever day without the papers and to pay for the trip. I assume that you are workin in Canada without the papers because it is very hard to get a work permit in Canada for Americans. I use to work with the Comedy Undergound in Seattle and we would send comics to Canada often but if the border patrol checked anything and saw a day planner they would refuse the talent admmission into Canada. It is the same in most countries...

burnsie · Joined: 18 Aug 2004 Posts: 489 Location: Beijing

You can check out www.speedbusiness.com.cn and check under the Expatriate Section for the work and visa information.

I am not sure of the second question but I think you should report back to the US your wages and tax but because the wages are crap (compared to US) it should not be a problem. Also many FT's don't pay tax. The first 4000 RMB is not taxed.

Anyway you better ask the tax authority not us about the tax reporting laws of the US.

cj750 · Joined: 27 Apr 2004 Posts: 3081 Location: Beijing

It use to be 75K that you could make here in China before US taxes kicked in if you live in China...now I have been told that it is 90K, but not sure on that but few teachers ever reach the limit..at least not on teachers wages...still filing taxes is a good idea as it leaves no gaps in the tax history and it will rase a red flag for audit if you show up in the us with a w2 after a few year overseas without filing