Job Discussion Forums

[JZer]

Can anyone tell me what the typical pay in Shenzhen is? Is it easy to pick up some extra part time work in Shenzhen?

[Laurence]

I don't actually live there, so someone please correct me if I'm wrong

but here goes:

Kindy: 10k - 12k per month
Language Centres: 6k + accom/flight (EF) - 15k + flight (Wall Street)
Unis: 4k - 8k + accom/flights
State schools: 6k - 8k + accom/flights

Probably also some higher paying school work, such as Korean schools, although might not be strictly/exclusively ESL work.

Privates: easy to to find at 100 per hour, less easy to find the more you charge, topping out at about 250.

I'm guessing the OP already knows this, but just want to point out ~

Different jobs come with different commitments, in terms of
- holidays
- antisocial schedules
- weekly classroom hours
- paperwork
- etc.

A high monthly salary doesn't necessarily indicate a good deal.


and re: privates ~

The best thing is to live in an area where there is local demand: 150 per hour in your neighbourhood is better value than 250 half an hour away.

Better still - get them to come to you!

[JZer]

[Jati]

Good info Laurence. Thanks.

Can you expend your info just a little?

1) Are living accommodations included?
2) What level of education is required by the teacher: Cert, Diploma, BA, MA?
3) Are TEFL/TESL/TESOL certs also required? If not, do they provide extra pay if you have?

Thanks.

[bradley]

It's easy to find extra work and usually for 150 to 200 per hour although I have many friends who get 250 or more but it takes awhile to make connections to get the higher paid teaching gigs.

[Laurence]

(again, if I'm wrong about any of this, please correct me)

@Jati:

1) I gave some examples above ("+accom" means 'with accomodation'), it's variable. SZ is a big city!

2) As is true for many other parts of China, holding a BA is a prerequisite for getting a working visa if you are employed by a school, although I think you can work in a language centre (like Web or EF) without one. Unlike many other parts of China, this is actually enforced by the authorities, owing to SZ's popularity with foreign teachers and instructors.

3) TEFL certs are not required and probably don't affect pay scale, but are likely to give you the edge over competing applicants who don't have one.

you're welcome : )
Thinking of taking the plunge into smogsville, GD?


@JZer:
I'm not sure exactly, but I would expect around 25 per week.

[alter ego]

[JZer]

[alter ego]

Kindy teachers usually finish their afternoon shifts around 4 or 5 p.m., might be as early as 3:30 p.m. depending on your school, duties, etc.

There is an agency here that employs tutors and pays pretty well, around 170/hour to start, the site is www.shenzhenparty.com, here's the link: http://www.shenzhenparty.com/classifieds/detail.php?catid=16&siteid=51459

This is just one example of extra work in Shenzhen, there are job listings all the time but again higher paying jobs seem to be fewer and far between, with the average wages in the 100-150 pay range per class.

Keep in mind that kindy work can be both physically and mentally exhausting. If your evening or part-time jobs are within reasonable commute distances to your home it can make the feeling of dragging yourself to those jobs a lot easier.

I now teach M-F at a university, 4 days morning hours, finished by noon, one day off and weekends at a private language school, 7 hours both days teaching adults and a few teens (there are more weekend jobs teaching young learners and kids 3-12 yrs) but because Shenzhen is a big, spread out city, I prefer to skip the weeknight commutes and kick back a bit before the weekend.

[JZer]