Job Discussion Forums

AnomanderRake · Joined: 06 Feb 2011 Posts: 29 Location: Beijing

I have a contract question. Has anyone heard of a recruiter having teachers sign a contract with them directly and then subcontracting them out to a school? The idea being the recruiter acting as a permanent go-between and pocketing a substantial portion of the monthly pay.

Is this legal? Can a recruiter enter into a "full-time" employment contract with a foreigner? My thinking is they need some-kind of special license to employ foreigners full-time.

johntpartee · Joined: 02 Mar 2010 Posts: 3258

Never heard of it. Pretty bizarre. You'd have a contract with the recruiter AND a contract with the school? Meaning two places would have you under their thumb in a country where you have no rights.

AnomanderRake · Joined: 06 Feb 2011 Posts: 29 Location: Beijing

No, just a contract with the recruiter that states I will work a certain amount of hours for the school and no contract directly with the school. And I get paid half what the direct hires at the school get with no benefits. I realize it is not good. I am wondering if anyone knows the legality of this set up.

The Ever-changing Cleric · Joined: 19 Feb 2009 Posts: 1523

i doubt anyone here can tell you. not many laowai are acquainted with chinese labour law.

dog backwards · Joined: 27 Jan 2011 Posts: 178

One thing that I do know is that anyone who is authorized to hire foreign experts is issued a license which should be no problem for a legit business to produce.

Try contacting the SAFEA in the province that the recruiter is in. If you can get someone to answer the phone, find out if that recruiter is authorized to hire foreign experts.

The real acid test is to ask the recruiter if he can provide a letter of invitation which you would submit to one's Chinese consulate to obtain a Z visa. No letter of invitation= probably not legitimate.