Job Discussion Forums

[dreamcatcher_0]

Dear all,

I have a situation here, and I wish to see your advise. Please take a moment and help me if you can...

I took an offer from EF Harbin few month ago for a summer position, the contract details seem good and I'm ready to leave on May 9th. However, my z-visa was rejected.

Because the documents of "foreign expert certificate" was issued by the Heilongjiang Provincial government, not the state's government in Beijing. Therefore I applied for a L-visa on the grounds that I'm visiting my family in China.

I'm rather iffy about this move, although the director of study said

"This is the first time we have came across this refusal on these grounds of it should be from Beijing government. We have always sent the letter out from here in Heilongjiang province as that is where we are located.

Anyway, not too worry too much. You can simply obtain the visitor (L) visa in this case and we shall get it changed when you arrive here at the local authorities."

is it a common practice to change L-visa to Z-visa? what are the procedures? and do I still need a Medical checkup for Foreign Residence Permit? (do I need FRP if I'm only staying for four month?)

and most importantly... what are the consequences of working on a L-visa? I haven't heard much horror stories that I still would rather prefer to stay on the safe side.


I have read the stickies on this forum, they were very helpful but I still wish to get some response on my situation.

Thank you so much in advance!!!

[acwilliams]

[dreamcatcher_0]

acwilliams, thank you so much for your reply.

You are right, the Chinese Embassy in Toronto said the document wasn't valid, and refused the application. I was rather surprised because it is a legit document issued by the government.

However, my L-visa is in process, to be picked up next wednesday, and it's true that I have both the "foreign expert certificate" and the invitation letter in hand issued by provincial Foreign Affairs Bureaux...so hopefully application for z-visa in china won't be an issue

I have spoken quite a few teachers in EF Harbin, they all seem rather happy with the job and the conditions offered by the institution. That's why I'm feeling more confident going into the position. The director of study is rather supportive as well and responsive. a good gut feeling.. yes I do have that, but I just dunno how much I should rely on simply a "feeling"

Thank you so much for your reply and insight!!!



Does anyone else know, have had similiar experience/reason for rejection?

Also, does anyone else know about EF Harbin, or other EF operations?

[Voldermort]

If the school has already provided you with an invitation letter, then don't worry. It seems like they are genuinly going to get you the correct paperwork. The only time you need to worry is when a school asks you to come over with a L or F visa, and makes no prior attempt to do things the correct way. As the previous poster stated, the officials here already know of your case, and after entering the country it is the responsibility of EF to arrange everything.

As for the Visa being rejected, I have heard on the grapevine that China is making some further changes. They are going to start only issuing work permits in country, this has something to do with unwanted nationalities and illegal visa operations in the past. I don't know how much truth there is to this but I heard it from contacts in my local government.

[7969]

the worst thing that could happen now is that you report to your school on an L visa, do the medical exam, and then have to go to HK (from heilongjiang korea might be better) to get the Z visa issued. that is, if the school cannot convert an L visa into a Z visa as is the case in many parts of china nowadays. i worked for the first term at this school im at not on an L visa, no problems.

7969

[Roger]

I think, dreamcatcher, part of your problem stems from the fact that you are a Chinese national; that doesn't mean you will be rejected again but your application for a work visa was rejected for some reason, and your origin may have something to do with it. Another reason no doubt is that your sponsor is EF, and they might not be on the approved list of sponsors whose overseas-based job applicants can get a work visa. EF has a checkered reputation.

Your question as to whether you can hope to get your tourist visa upgraded to a legal residence status can, generally-speaking, be answered in the affirmative. Ideally, you would get a work visa, then obtain a residence permit sticker in your passport within 30 days of your arrival; some employers cannot get you a work visa from the Chinese consulate in your home base (Toronto), so you can arrive here on a tourist visa but you will be taking a gamble - they might lie to you, they might not succeed, anything is possible.

I want to add a general observation: it's come to my attention that work visas are still in use, and I mean work visas valid for up to one year; some private employers - EF might be one of those! - can't get those new residence permit stickers for their non-Chinese employees; the visa in your passport is therefore not the whole of your documentation: you will also need to obtain a green residence permit booklet.
I mention this becauseI was recently asked to provide documentary proof of my legal status, and when I showed my residence permit sticker in my passport, some suspicious would-be employer opined it "looks like a fake"...
It was then that I learnt they still got 12 month work visas for their foreign staffers - plus those booklets that most of us are so glad we no longer need to carry on us!

[grwit]

Hi dreamcatcher.

I had big problems getting my L visa changed to a z visa. I live in Anhui province. As a result I had to go back to australia after my L visa expired and apply for the Z visa then come back again. The college paid for all the travel expenses.

This year I applied for the Z visa again and was rejected in Australia. The Chinese Foreign/International affairs beureau has changed its laws receintly and a Letter of invitation simply isn't enough to get the Z visa.

I can't quite remember the documetation I needed but the college had to go to the capitol city of my province and get the correct documents and then send them to me by mail. When I took the new documents to the Chinese Embassy I had no problem getting my Z visa.

It sounds to me like the school is unaware of the change of laws. Something I am finding very common in China. The left hand never knows what the right hand is doing.

My advise is to contact the school and let them know your Visa application was rejected (if you haven't already) Ask them to go to the department of Foreign/International affairs and get the correct documents required for Z visa application.

[tony lee]

you said "the Chinese Embassy in Toronto said the document wasn't valid, and refused the application"

A valid application requires two documents -- one an invitation to work at a school authorised to make such an offer, and a certification from the authorities that your qualification and experience are such that you are suitable for the job.

I doubt whether an embassy would refuse a visa if proper documentation was supplied.

What is happening is that authorities are cracking down on all sorts of procedures (that have always been in force but never enforced) and schools and provincial authorities are not always in the know.

Tony

[tofuman]

That your documents were rejected could be a sign that the school that hired you is not legitimate. You could be walking into a mess and lose your transportaiion costs to boot. Before coming, why not refile the documents in a way that will please the authorities?

You may be very eager to come here, but this is not a place to come when you are desperate. Do things right or get some money up front so you won't lose if it is a scam. Consider that the authorities may be trying to protect YOU.

[China.Pete]

I initially came to China with a "Z" visa (pre-arranged work). After three years, I changed from a "Z" to an "L" visa (because I was between jobs). Subsequently, I changed the "L" visa to, I think, another "Z" visa (not sure of the letter designation; but it involved work for a foreign-owned company). This was in Liaoning Province. Recently, I renewed the "Z" visa at another school in Beijing. As long as I've had the prior residence/work/foreign expert permits to surrender to the proper authorities, I've had no problem getting the new permit without leaving the country. But the above posters are correct: worst case scenario, you're contemplating a round-trip to Korea.