Job Discussion Forums

maudgm · Joined: 15 Sep 2003 Posts: 30 Location: depends

Hello,
I need you to help me :
Can a Canadian citizen with a tourist visa in Shanghai, a 3 year College diploma, 3 different F visas already in his passport (last year) get another F visa ? What about a Z visa ?
Is there a limit on how many visas you can get ?
Do you need a special degree to be allowed to work in China ?
We weren't aware of that til today during an interview for a job when the manager (foreign) suggests that it might be impossible to change this L visa against an F (or Z) because of the 3 already owned and the type of degree my boyfriend has.
This would mean going home so we're a bit tensed !! Thanks for your help.

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

The number of business visas in your passport have absolutely no influence over whether you get a work visa or not.
BUt, you may eventually have some problem in explaining how come you spent so much time in China "on business", and have never paid taxes!
Get a new passport!

Tim · Joined: 12 Feb 2003 Posts: 45

1 - go to hong kong and get a one-year visa

or

2 - Z visas take a lot more paperwork and permission, but almost any company can extend your f fvisa / trnasfer a l to a f. no limits on numbers, or qualifications.

roddy · Joined: 18 Nov 2003 Posts: 40 Location: Beijing

Freaky Deaky · Joined: 13 Feb 2003 Posts: 309 Location: In Jen's kitchen

^ Roger's a pretty knowledgeable bloke when it comes to matters of China. However, I have never heard of it being a problem having 20 F visa in your passport. I have this on good authority. Straight from the horses mouth in fact. Direct from good sources. Direct from the men who know.

It's not a problem. You're here doing business which means you can stay as long as you like.

And because you're doing 'business' in a 'foreign' country of course you don't pay taxes.

Laughing

ps - ain't China great!!!!!!

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

Please, visit www.dezshira.com and ask them pointed questions. I for one have for years been informing readers that changes are afoot that will lead to us being submect to tax.
I have paid taxes on three separate occasions (meaning in three different jobs). The highest rate was 20%. I received receipts.
Any foreign-owned business must pay taxes, even if its Chinese rival makes more money and pays no tax at all - foreign companies always do pay!
As an employee, you can still get through the dragnet but it's a question of time, I guess, for the authorities to devise ways and means to make you pay. Since the PSB and the Immigration counters at borders are computerised it's not exactly a technological quantum leap for them to catch you.
One rule already in force is that anyone who does BUSINESS in China owes the government tax on business transactions in China IF THAT PERSON HAS SPENT 183 DAYS ON TERRITORY OF THE PRC.
For the time being, the rule may be in force, but they don't enforce collecting your dues - until they decide to do it.
If your salary is above 4000 RMB a month, you are legally required to pay tax - but again, pragmatism reigns supreme. For the time being, the taxman goes after big corporate taxpayers, and among them, his priority is with foreign ones.