Job Discussion Forums

[pierre]

I've posted this query already in the newbie forum and got a very good reply which, among other things, suggested I post here as well. So here goes.

My 51 yo partner is just completing a CELTA course in Melbourne, Australia with the idea of teaching in China in the new year. She has no previous teaching experience but does have an arts degree. I�m a 57 yo actor (don�t laugh, I�ve made a living out of it for almost 30 years) who taught at NOVA in Japan for 6 months about 15 years ago. I have a Diploma in Civil Engineering. Neither of us has ever been to China ( except for a week in Hong Kong).

Our plan is for my partner to get herself a job, maybe in Shanghai or somewhere cosmopolitan, on the basis of her new qualification. The two of us travel to China together, and I find some kind of casual work. I would teach if necessary but would prefer to do something I am more suited to.

Questions:
Is her age going to be a major factor in finding a good job?
Is our age going to be factor in anything?
Would I be able to travel to China as the spouse of someone who has got a job lined up?
Would we be likely to find accommodation that we could both fit in to?
How hard would it be for me as an unqualified teacher to pick up casual teaching work?
Does anyone know what chance I would have of picking up occasional acting or voice work with no Chinese language ability? English language radio?

Extra questions
Can I get some sort of visa on the strength of my partner's job, or do I have to make a seperate application of my own?
A Diploma was enough to get me a job in Japan 15 years ago. Will it get me a job in China now? The institute where I studied (RMIT in Melbourne) is now a university and only dispenses degrees.

[Volodiya]

Here are a few comments to get you started-

Is her age going to be a major factor in finding a good job?
Not likely.

Is our age going to be factor in anything?
No moreso than at home, unless with it comes bad health.

Would I be able to travel to China as the spouse of someone who has got a job lined up?
If you are married, and your spouse gets an offer of a contract to teach from an employer that is approved to hire foreigners, both she and you can get Z visas on the strength of her prospective employment.

Would we be likely to find accommodation that we could both fit in to?
No problem. Accomodations come in all sizes here. Mine is 145 sq meters. Is that enough?

How hard would it be for me as an unqualified teacher to pick up casual teaching work?
Not hard at all.

Does anyone know what chance I would have of picking up occasional acting or voice work with no Chinese language ability? English language radio?
Radio, I don't know. Lots of us here in Kunming have appeared in films; making a living at it could be dicey. Most roles pay little, or nothing, that I've heard about.

[KarenB]

50 years old should not present a problem with getting a job. (Our school prefers not to hire anyone over 60, but I think you can teach in China up until 65 or perhaps longer).

Older people are given more respect in China, so you're more likely to get a seat on the bus, etc. However, along with age usually comes more health problems, and many cities in China do not have very good health care (I've been in two different hospitals here -- the biggest problems were lack of cleanliness, non-English speaking staff and doctors, and doctors who have a poor education).

Another age issue to consider is whether you are pretty agile. You have to be relatively nimble to be able to shove your way through the crowd and hop on a bus, make it to your seat while the bus is moving, and be able to hop off even when the bus doesn't come to a complete stop. On the trains, you need to be able to carry your luggage up and down the stairs on the ramps that go over or under the tracks. Also, because of the constant contruction in China, the sidewalks are often non-existent, or not very smooth.

Acting jobs are easy to pick up, esp. if you're a foreigner and you're somewhat good-looking, and you're in a place where they tend to do filming (Yunnan Province, Hainan Island, Beijing, Shanghai, etc.), but probably won't provide a steady income. It would certainly help to know Chinese if you wanted to get ahead in the entertainment industry. I don't know of any English language radio within China (our students get BBC and VOA beemed in from Hong Kong or somewhere else). But there are some TV shows that feature foreigners (I guess you'd have to be in Beijing).

If your wife obtains a Z-visa (work visa) prior to coming (which means she has to sign a contract before she arrives), then you can also get a Z-visa as the accompanying spouse. You don't need to work at all, or you can work parttime or fulltime as you like. A number of schools seem to prefer hiring couples, by the way, as they perceive of them as being a little more stable.

Housing in China varies depending on which province you're in and the kind of place you're teaching in. The universities normally provide a 2 bedroom flat, which should be adequate for a couple. The private schools often provide more spacious housing. In our first position in Sichuan (with a dense population), we had a 2 bedroom flat (but no kitchen of our own -- one for all the teachers to share on a different floor) that measured about 400 sq feet. We presently teach at a government school in Hainan, and have a 4 bedroom, 2 bath townhouse. Most of the foriegn teachers in Hainan have quite spacious housing as space isn't an issue here -- much smaller population.

Usually all you need to get a teaching job in China is a Bachelor's Degree in any field. Teaching experience is helpful, but not a requirement. Courses in TEFL or a TEFL Certificate is helpful, but not a requirement at most schools. If your wife is teaching fulltime, you could probably teach parttime at her school, or just take on private students (in Hainan the foreigners usually charge 100 yuan an hour). Or you could try to find the acting jobs you like, or, with your Civil Engineering diploma, even look into being an Engineering Consultant (there's a guy I know here in Hainan who does that and he's in his 80's).

Good luck!

[pierre]

Thanks very much for those two great responses. We're not quite on zimmer frames yet, so public transport won't be a problem. We wouldn't be considering this if we weren't in good health.

Good to hear that I can piggyback in on her visa. We're not married though. Does this require some form of proof of partnership, or is her word enough?

[KarenB]

Hmm...well, I can't say that in the 5 years I've been in China that anyone's ever asked for our marriage certificate (although we were told before we came that they might).

[bdawg]

Pierre,

You can try this for acting jobs. It's agent service of some kind scouting out foreigners for acting/model jobs (awards...heh heh heh).

www.chinacasting.com

[pierre]

Thanks bdawg, I've seen that one already. Sent them a general query regarding the best places to go to with them in mind. Haven't heard back from them.

Would you recommend Nanjing?

edit..
Doh! Just realised I've been had! It's not chinaecasting, which really is a bit more to the point.

Har di ha ha!

[Roger]

your age group is well represented in China and there is no discrimination against folks from abroad wishing to teach; in fact your age may count worards your credits rather than anything else.

If you do not wish to work you can live with your partner in the same premises; either you get a tourist visa for one year (possible in some jurisdictions), or you may ask your partner's employer to sponsor you on a dependant's visa.

They don't make a lot of fuss about trifles such as this. Welcome here!

[woza17]

Pierre as an actor I think you are much more qualified to teach in China than your partner.
Your age will certainly not be a barrier.
Cheers

[carken]

[bdawg]

[pierre]

Does anyone know if you have to be married to count as 'accompanying family members'? - which is the phrasing used in a guide put out by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs? I was pointed to this address by another of the fantastic Dave's Devotees
http://www.china-tesol.com/SAFEA_Guide/safea_guide.html

[Volodiya]

Just my opinion, but it is unlikely that the authorities will allow you a Z visa, based on your domestic partner's prospective employment. To consider a domestic partner a family member would be a stretch, in China- this concept is only just taking hold in America, now.

If you wanted to lay this issue to rest, one option would be to line up a job for yourself with an employer who will sponsor you for a Z visa.

Many have come to China on other visas, such as multi-entry, one year F visas (or L visas, such as Roger mentioned) and worked out the details, later.

Other posters can provide you information on how and where these can be obtained.

[KarenB]

No, China won't consider you a "family member" unless you're married. So your options would be to lie about it, and hope they don't check, or to get some sort of visa of your own.

[pierre]

Well, I guess then, to keep my options open its either get a job too, or else come on an F ('issued to those who come to China to visit, teach, do business, or for cultural, scientific or technological exchanges for less than six months'). or an L ('issued to those who come to China to travel, visit friends and relatives or to deal with some private matters') visa?

Any comments on L versus F? Is F much harder to get than L? Would there be much difficulty extending the F if I wanted to? Is it forbidded to look for work on an L?

By the way, thanks for all of the above posts. Really getting me clear on the situation.