Job Discussion Forums

[CWanders]

Is this a fair package for Shanghai?

Salary: 10,500 rmb monthly
Housing stipend: ~600 USD monthly
Flight: paid for up front
Health care: paid in full

I know it's better than the crap packages offered by companies like English First, but I a) haven't been back to mainland China in about 4 years and b) always hear about how exorbitantly expensive Shanghai is. (I lived in Beijing in 2004). So, it'd be great to hear how estimates on how much i could save/how comfortably I could live off that package.

Thanks!

Addendum: 24 teaching hours/week, some office hours, guaranteed 2 days off/week

[Anda]

How much you can save depends on how you want to live. The offer is good especially on the accommodation however I would make sure that it was in the contract in RMB not dollars.

A good oldest apartment in a central location will take all of your $600 for a month but you are still up for quite a bit of cost for power in the summer for air-conditioning.

24 teaching hours a week is full on more or less so 10,500 isn't a lot in reality for it. Are you company teaching or teaching kids? How much preparation time will you need for the type of teaching that you are going to be doing. I ask this as the way that I teach part time takes no preparation time for me. If you need to spend a lot of time to prepare than goodbye part time work which can fetch about 220 RMB an hour in Shanghai if you are half decent.

8,000 RMB a month lets one live fairly well here but one can live an existence on half of that or blow 10,500 with ease. None of us here on Dave's can know what type of spending habits you have but as I've stated 8,000 gives / allows a comfortable life for most of us.

I have been watching the job offers out of interest on Shanghai for a couple of years and they have come down in wages and conditions not up. The share market has fallen about 48% in the last year so a lot of money has gone out of the economy. All in all the offer is not too bad but not great.

[kev7161]

Let's see, $600.00 is about 4200 rmb a month - - just for housing? Even in expensive Shanghai, that seems more than reasonable, but Shanghai residents may be able to clue you in more accurately. I think a first-time, starting wage of 10,500 is good(ish) for 24 teaching hours. If you feel good about the school doing the offering, then I think you should take it (I mean, I would with what you are describing). If you like the job and want to stay with it beyond your first contract AND you do a good job for them, I'm sure you can negotiate a bit more come 2nd contract time.

PS: The health care in full is a nice perk as well. What about holidays? Fully paid?

[NorthofAmerica]

I am looking at jobs in Shanghai and this sounds like it is on the better end of the spectrum. Do you mind me asking who it's with?

Better yet how about a link to the application

[kev7161]

Careful, you may only be semi-serious in your request, but that bit one of our regular posters in the butt a while back when he shared a potential job offer with us and the organization offering the job. I think AFTER the OP accepts and gets the job and is there on the first day should she/he share the other info with us (if the school is looking for more teachers, that is).

[kungfucowboy83]

with 24 hours i'm assuming this is a mill job. do you get any paid holidays? or will they dock your pay when they close for spring festival? also about the health care better get a copy of the policy to look over yourself before being too happy about it often times it is over stated. All in all if you think the school will follow your contact it seems pretty decent.

[arioch36]

[flutterbayou]

OP:

Expect to pay a chunk of change for apartment set up.

You need to pay:

- a deposit
- the first three months' rent
- an agency fee (most of the time)

If you want cable, a satellite connection and box, and a land line, then more money in set-up costs are ahead.

If you are working for a joint venture foundation year program, ask if you get any travel allowance.

Do you get a holiday allowance for travel during Spring Festival?

Are you completely covered for out-patient treatment by a local medical insurance plan? (You usually should only have to pay a very small fee per visit.)

If your employer pays for your travel in advance, then good; if you get reimbursed for the travel at the end of the contract, then that money at the end of the year pads your pockets. It evens out.

[wailing_imam]

Offer is average.

The money for the flat is alright.

You will lose some of your salary to tax.