Job Discussion Forums

[SimonM]

So much for my work permit coming "wednesday or thursday at the latest". When it did not materialize on Thursday I phoned the school and was told it would take one more week. Problem is this is not the first time it's been delayed (on May 3 I was told I would have it in 2-3 days) and I can't get my visa without it. I really want to depart and I am getting frustrated. Has anyone else had these problems with delayed work permits?

[tw]

You don't really need your work permit to get your Z visa. You just need the Foreign Experts Invitation Confirmation and the visa notice.

Some schools prefer not to give you the work permit until you have arrived for fear that you may take off and go to another city (yes it has happened).

[burnsie]

Yes, there are usually delays in China. A normal thing.

Ask that they fax you a copy of it before they send so you know that it's real. You can try to use it for getting your visa but they do need to original copy.

[SimonM]

Do you mean they have to post a doccument to me before I will be able to get the visa?

[tw]

Yes, you will receive at least two documents in the mail.

(1) Foreign Experts Invitation Confirmation - yellow piece of paper which you can photocopy to give to the Chinese Embassy.Consulate.

(2) Visa Notice - white and you must give the Chinese Embassy/Consulate the ORIGINAL copy.

(3) Perhaps your work permit (Foreign Experts Certificate).

(4) Perhaps a letter of invitation.

Keep in mind that if you are going to be teaching at a public school, the school will break for summer vacation in mid/late July and the staff won't be back to work until mid-August.

[SimonM]

When I was initially offered the job they told me I would be in China before the end of May. Certainly not that I would be in Canada into July or August.

[Girl Scout]

There are some new regulation for getting the letter of invitation. The school may have been told they neew some additional paper work. For example, new, incoming teacher are suppose to get and submit a hospital approved physical before they arrive. The phyical is no longer beging done in China. (Henan Province)

[SimonM]

That is discouraging.

[tw]

Same thing in Liaoning. I was told to get my medical exam done in Canada before they can issue me my Foreign Experts Certificate which I must also apply for in Canada. According to www.caiep.org I may even be turned down for work permit even if I have signed an official contract with the school (one of the best known universities in Liaoning province).

[SimonM]

This is actually the first thing I have ever heard about a medical. The school certainly hasn't mentioned one.

[Volodiya]

I feel for you, man. Waiting is one of the hardest things to do but, if your prospective employer is legit all the way, and you're convinced that's the job you want, then that's what you'll have to do.

I think tw has hit it on the nail, based on my reading of the information at the Chinese Embassy, Canada, website.

Here's what they say is necessary:
A. An Employment License issued by the Chinese Labor and Social Security Ministry. [or,] For applicants to be working in an academic institution, a confirmation issued by the Chinese State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs.
B. an official invitation issued by a concerned authorized agency.

I've highlighted the parts that should be applicable to you.

Variability in terminology introduces some confusion into the discussion but, as I said, I believe tw is right on. Tightening of procedures within China could result in some slowing down of the process, even beyond what it has been, in your employers experience, in the past. I say this to suggest that, even if your employer has been wrong about how long this would take, that's no reason, in itself, to suggest any unreliability on his part.
_________________________

You haven't said which province you expect to be working in, and that, too, makes a difference as to requirements. There are local variability that affects these situations, unfortunately. Where're you going to be, exactly?

As for the assertion that you may have to have a physical in Canada, my advice is- do nothing that the Embassy there doesn't require, or request: do everything that they do require, or request. The Chinese Consulate or Embassy is an official arm of the central government: they will not let you "slide" on anything that is required, before issuing the Z visa.

[AndyA]

[tw]

When I contacted the Chinese Consulate General's education branch here in Vancouver, the gentleman was not entirely aware of these and any changes that SAFEA (or someone else) seemed to have made. According to the university that has accepted me (in Liaoning), the change in medical exam procedure took place as of 2005. That is, before 2005, foreigners can take their medical exam in China. The Chinese Consulate General gentleman said that if we were to think about it, what would happen if someone was to fail his/her medical exam in China? Wouldn't that cause a lot of inconvenience for this person having to immediately pack up and leave? So, this "change" does make sense. However, I should also point out that I was also told, and I quote the man as saying that schools/regions/cities/districts may do things their own way as rules and guidelines are NOT laws and thus are not rigidly enforced nor followed. An example in my case would be that the school wants me to apply for my Foreign Experts Certificate here in Canada instead of doing so in China as it should be done.

Here's the link: http://www.caiep.org/faq/content.php?id=10609 and for each city, it has the same article (hopefully), e.g. you can find it at http://beijing.caiep.org/faq/content.php?id=10609 and http://shanghai.caiep.org/faq/content.php?id=10609 etc. This talks about everything from qualification needed to be considered for Foreign Expert status to medical exam.

[Volodiya]

tw, I thought that was very good of you to include this comment, which allows for regional differences.

[SimonM]

I got two documents from China: a yellow one and a white one. The school says this is what I need for my Visa under the current laws. I'm taking them to the Consulate today. Finally!