Job Discussion Forums

mnguy29 · Joined: 23 Jan 2008 Posts: 155 Location: USA

I hope someone can shed some light on this. My contract will end Jan. 20 after we shortened it from one year to one semester recently. I am not happy with my school and they agreed to shorten it. I signed a new short contract. They also want to cancel my z visa and make it a new shorter one. I dont trust them doing this. I want to keep it because its good till June 30. I am planning on very politely asking them if I can keep it, or even offering the 800 rmb that they paid for it in return for keeping it. If they say no, I may just refuse to give them my passport. My question is, if I dont give them the passport can they still cancel my z visa which is in the passport??
Thanks.

HiddenTreasure · Joined: 03 Oct 2010 Posts: 81

Technically speaking you mean the resident permit - the z visa ONLY !!!!!!!!!!!!! allows you to enter the country and is essentially null and void after that - when you receive the resident permit.

The formal rule is that you must be present and have your passport for changes to be made to the permit/visa

In the end though they can go there and say that they canceled your contract and "if they have the right connections" your permit will be canceled.

Of course, your passport will have the current active permit and you can bitch and moan to someone later that you never authorized the change in your permit status and so on.

Ultimately - why should your employer allow you to keep the longer term permit/visa? If you are not an employee broke the contract (with or without their permission), etc. then why? The employer is your visa host and legally can be held liable for any criminal or other inappropriate behavior on your part. So why should they do it ?

You should simply follow the appropriateness of what you have done/changed and suck it up. You can get a tourist/L visa when the time comes, etc.

Don't try to get special attention just because it's convenient for you.

west2east · Joined: 03 May 2009 Posts: 120 Location: China

You have no right to remain on a Z visa if you are not under a contract of employment. Seemingly trying to suit yourself to continue with you backpacker jollies or whatever and refusing to cooperate by the rules will not do yourself any favours.

Tread on your employers toes (who have kindly met your request to give you a shorter contract when they probably didn't have to) could have implications for releasing you thus preventing you from further employment in China. Asking naive questions on an open forum versus a tried and tested government system, I think I can guess who's going to be the worst off.

Remember you are a guest in China and are obliged to follow the law as anyone would be if they visit your home country.

Greg 09 · Joined: 30 Jan 2009 Posts: 169

As alluded to and aforementioned, you'll be better off doing a little research on the various documents related to your stay in China.

Your Z visa is a single entry visa, and void the minute you crossed into China. Assuming your employer got you a Residence Permit (required within 30 days of entry), it will be void the day your contract ends. That's the other big full-page sticker thingy that should be in your passport if you're here legally. Do you have an FEC? Just curious...

If your school was gracious enough to give you a shortened contract, perhaps they will help you get a tourist visa, which will allow you to stay 3 months after your RP expires, should you require it for your purposes.

Shame for even being here and not knowing the conditions of your stay.

tsk tsk tsk

Mister Al · Joined: 28 Jun 2004 Posts: 840 Location: In there

Greg 09, the Z visa is valid for 30 days and expires 30 days after entry into China. The Residency permit expires on the date it says it expires, not at the end of a contract (unless those dates coincide).

OP you can refuse to give your employer your passport but that may mean taking a risk that he/she holds something back from you moneywise unless you do. If you end up doing that your RP will not be cancelled as the PSB needs your passport to do that and they also need to inform you of your status and give you something else such as an L visa or an exit permit. Or you can allow the cancelation and apply for an L visa, which I'm sure can only be for 30 days if applying for in country. You can get one more for another 30 days after that

flyingscotsman · Joined: 24 Mar 2010 Posts: 339 Location: Suzhou, China

crashintheriver · Joined: 05 Nov 2010 Posts: 8

DixieCat · Joined: 24 Aug 2010 Posts: 263

mnguy29 · Joined: 23 Jan 2008 Posts: 155 Location: USA

Just for everyone's information, I am not going to roam about freely in China with my visa. I have a home here and I plan on staying and finding a teaching job where they don't exploit foreign teachers like they do Chinese employees. Someday, they have to realize that they can't treat foreign teachers as they do their own country men or they will continue to have unhappy teachers and people leaving. I am looking for constructive ideas here, not all the negative criticism please.

7969 · Joined: 26 Mar 2003 Posts: 5782 Location: Coastal Guangdong

I'm afraid your thread invites criticism.

daCabbie · Joined: 02 Sep 2007 Posts: 244

What would they do in your home country?

Where I am from, if you stop working for the employer who sponsored your visa they give you ten days to leave the country or find new employment.

What makes you think that because you are from an upper tier country that China should treat you in some special way? Again, how do they treat foreigners where you are from?

Transfer to a tourist visa. Find a new employer and then do a Hong Kong trip to get a new Z visa and then a residency permit. Simple enough.

In the future do some research before you start work with a new school or company.