Job Discussion Forums

[lesliereed]

Hi, I have been offered a position in Huizhou City, and would really appreciate a more experienced opinion before signing. They are in a big hurry to get a teacher and want to fly me to Hong Kong for 2 days and put me up in a hotel while they process the Visa. Is this usual or advised? I have worked in Korea, but this is my first time dealing with China. I will private message the specific details if someone is willing to look over it.

I got them to increase the initial salary, but on reading over the offer I found that the 24-26 teaching hours per week include working 5 and 1/2 days, leaving only one full day off per week. Also, there are 12 hours per month of "other activities" such as meetings and demo classes.

The contract advice I got on Dave's before going to Korea was invaluable. Thanks in advance to the experienced teachers on here who save many from getting taken advantage of when looking for teaching work abroad!

[7969]

[The Great Wall of Whiner]

I did Korea for about 3 years, so I can relate a bit as to what you are stepping into.

24-26 almost always means 26 and you can add the other few hours so it looks like you will be doing around 30 hours a week, one day off.

Flying to HK may not be 'normal procedure' but it commonly occurs.

It seems to me that they want you to get to the school and check you out before they commit. It works well for both parties, but if they don't like the colour of your skin or any other physical feature, they may just tell you once you arrive "Sorry bud, the position is redundant."

What has been known to happen is offering several foreigners the same position and having them fly all the way out to China on a tourist visa to check them out prior to hiring one of them.

Without knowing how much you are being offered or your qualifications (having worked in Korea I assume you are qualified) I can't comment further.

[dean_a_jones]

[lesliereed]

Hi, I am in the US. The school does not cover the flight over to HK. They give a flight allowance at the end of the contract, enough to cover the flight back. 10 days paid leave plus paid annual holidays. The 10 days have to be taken during the winter school holiday period in January
/February. Paid private apartment with electric bill paid up to RMB150, mentions 24h hot water supply but not who pays for it...will be speaking to them tomorrow morning and am compiling a list of questions...the salary is 9,000 per month. I have one full year of ESL teaching experience and a degree but no TEFL.

Also, there is mention of a 5,000 RMB fine if the contract is broken by employer or employee. Plus reimbursement of visa and
insurance on a pro-rata (?) basis for the uncompleted duration of the contract and should also pay the compensation for the losses caused (because his/her breaks the contract)...

Thanks!!!!!!! Glad to hear that Huizhou is a decent place.

[7969]

[lesliereed]

Thanks everyone for the feedback. Dean, it looks like I need 5 posts before I can PM...thought I had at least 5 by now but guess not...am a bit cautious about posting the contract or school name on here. I could email if you want to PM me? Or if I'm lucky this could be my 5th post.

[lesliereed]

"What has been known to happen is offering several foreigners the same position and having them fly all the way out to China on a tourist visa to check them out prior to hiring one of them."

Thanks Great Wall. Good to know and keep in mind. If that happens then the teacher is out the cost of a ticket and back to square one. Wonder what the best way to prevent this would be?

[7969]

They've already seen what you look like I'm sure as they likely asked to see a scan of your passport already? If they're going to provide you with the documents needed for the Z visa application that's about as sure as you can be that they're going to hire you. They're not going to do that for ten different people and then hire only one of them.

[dean_a_jones]

[The Great Wall of Whiner]

It's September. It is feasible that some teachers fail to show up for whatever reason and they are desperate to get a teacher last-minute.

When schools are desperate for a foreign teacher, they will do just about anything to secure one. It could mean the difference between life and death for some schools.

As for the Hong Kong journey, there is a guy who got thrown out of China on this forum and has told us he has to go to Hong Kong last minute, so you are not the first person to report this. It would be funny if the school is one and the same. Not the hilarious kind of funny, mind you.

dean_a_jones is absolutely right though, get it in writing that they will pay for the Hong Kong run, otherwise you may find yourself out of pocket down the road.

9k a month is reasonable for a first-timer in China, but the hours are a bit steep as it would be less than 100RMB an hour (100RMB an hour at 30 hrs. a week is about 12k a month roughly).

Good luck.

@7969:

No, I am not saying that a school would do all the paperwork and pay for 10 teachers to do a run. What I'm saying is that they invite 10 teachers to arrive on a tourist visa and then after they check them out and decide on one, they send one to Hong Kong and leave the rest hanging.

Known to happen.

[kev7161]

[7969]

[The Great Wall of Whiner]

1. I use well over 200RMB a month, and I do my best to save. I'm with Kev on this one; 150RMB in not, in my opinion, more than fair. Didn't you just write somewhere else that you are not trying to drive down the income of foreign teachers? What do you have against teachers earning more?

2. I avoid hewlett77's threads for the reason you mentioned. But true or not, I guess that just adds another teacher being offered this if he also is making this claim. I can't imagine several teachers all making the same claim and all fibbing about it.

[7969]