Job Discussion Forums

sandinista445 · Joined: 30 Oct 2004 Posts: 136 Location: 世界

I have accepted a job in China and should be arriving in August. I would like to arrive a week or two earlier and stay in a hostel before I can move into my apartement on campus. In my contract it says that I can only arrive 5 days before the new semester begins, and that if I want to arrive earlier I will have to shoulder all the expenses...seems reasonable enough I thought, I can pay my own living expenses until I move onto campus, but what I'm wondering is whether this clause could be used to not reimburse my flight if I arrive earlier. The cost of the flight wouldn't be any different though, so I don't see why they would...has anyone else arrived earlier or had trouble getting their flight reimbursed at the end of contract due to this kind of clause?

kev7161 · Joined: 06 Feb 2004 Posts: 5880 Location: Suzhou, China

No, that shouldn't matter at all. The "5 days before . . . " bit is probably to inform you that you can't move into your school-supplied dwelling until then. If you are uncertain, you should email your school directly. Here we can't tell you things with 100% certainty, only use our knowledge from our own experiences. Every school is different.

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

Good question. Cover all bases hey!!

I would contact them directly about this and ask the question. See if you can change the contract to state what you are saying.

Girl Scout · Joined: 13 Jan 2005 Posts: 525 Location: Inbetween worlds

You need to be careful. You have 30 days after landing to get your residence card. Some schools can get them fast and some cannot. If you do not leave enough time for the school to finish your residency paper work they may use that against you.

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

DOn't expect your airfare at the beginning of your tenure! Normally it is paid out at the end of your term. You most certainly won't get it paid before you have been formally registered with the PSB and obtained your resident's permit.
If you dislike being given your airfare at the end of a year of work you can try - but you must not expect them to agree! - to negotiate a prorated reimbursement.

sandinista445 · Joined: 30 Oct 2004 Posts: 136 Location: 世界

Thanks everyone for your replies. I've heard back from the school's representative, and it looks like I can arrive early and still get my reimbursement.

I realize that I'll have to wait until the end of my contract, but was afraid that the clause "if the teacher wants to arrive before the given date, then he will have to bear all the expenses" would mean that they wouldn't reimburse my flight, seeing it as part of the "expenses" of arriving early.

Girl Scout, you only get 30 days grace period before requiring a residency permit? Can I arrive with a Z-Visa and stay in China legally up to the 30 days, or are there any other required documents I need before entering the country?

tw · Joined: 04 Jun 2005 Posts: 3898

Any foreigner living in China longer than 30 days and not using a tourist visa must apply for a Foreign Resident Permit (AKA green card/booklet) within the 30 days. Your Z visa allows you to enter China legally and apply for Foreign Resident Permit (and Foreign Experts Certificate if the school chooses to apply for it after you have arrived in China). If after 30 days you are in China and you have not at least started the application for resident permit already then you are in China illegally and as such, you are subject to fine and/or jail term.

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

When you arrive at the hotel in your city where you will temporary live you will have to fill out a small white form which is called the 'residence registration certificate'. Make sure it is stamped with the hotel chop.

I didn't do this when I arrived and when it was time to register I was grilled and given a warning by the police and had to write a confession in Chinese about my wrong doing! Shocked

I would talk to the school about this.

sandinista445 · Joined: 30 Oct 2004 Posts: 136 Location: 世界

Thanks for the warning tw and Burnsie, I'll ask the school about registration, etc. before I leave.

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

CHecking in at an approved hotel automatically results in your registration being forwarded to the police, so you don't have to take care of that by yourself.
The hotel staff in approved hotels are trained in reading passport particulars (not an easy job for CHinese!) and in identifying your visa and its expiry date. The registration slip you fill in will be returned to the police in the small hours after midnight. If anything is wrong with you the cops pay you an early morning visit.
But I am not saying you should expect that.