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Q: Can some teachers here please share their experiences about teaching in China with us?
I should soon start to work in a school near Hangzhou. Can some teacher share good and bad experiences they had until now. Also few advices would be helpful.
10 years 18 weeks ago in Business & Jobs - China
At first I was going to say that's a nice little salary you've got there, but after seeing your working hours...Man, you're going to work your ass off for it. Are you sure they're able to provide you a Z-visa? Will you have to go to Bosnia or HK to get it? Anyways, I wish you all the best.
viango:
But actual teaching hours will be no more than 110 in one month. As I noticed other teachers were working their ass of on QQ or weibo before the classes started. :)
I am not saying it is easy, but it is good for a start.
Getting teaching experience: LOADING || 1% |
honky:
Oh, it most definitely is. Besides, I know you're no stranger to a hard work. From the looks of it, I might be joining you in China in 2 months or so. :) Take care!
viango:
Just as you said it.
Working in my home country, 363 days in a year, without vacation, working time 10-14 hours a day.
So teaching kids up to 110 hours per month and 66 hours working on other activities is a vacation for me, plus I get paid for doing that. :)
At first I was going to say that's a nice little salary you've got there, but after seeing your working hours...Man, you're going to work your ass off for it. Are you sure they're able to provide you a Z-visa? Will you have to go to Bosnia or HK to get it? Anyways, I wish you all the best.
Best advice is to sign until the end of June i.e.end of the school year. Or say you want to sign for 6 months only.
Non negotiable and be willing to walk away.
I had a good recruiting agency that helped me and everything i stated i wanted i got.
But my experiance as a teacher has been mixed. I have one grade that is terrible , but the rest of the groups i teach are wonderful.
I can only say it's all about weathering the storm and try to keep good relationships at work. Keep your mouth shut and do your job. Don't try to be the CEO and complain too much. A person like this needs to go to 7-11 for their career.
Current situation is that they want me to pay for Z visa cost, which they will repay 25% after 6 months 25% and 25% after 12 months. 50% I must pay by myself. Also I should pay the accommodation 3-6 months in advance + deposit as insurance. They say that they would add accommodation cost in amount of 700 RMB to my salary each month.
icnif77:
I'm not sure, if (how) it is possible to get Z without degree. Even, when you finish your present contract, and reapply to the new School, you'll need your diploma for RP extension.
I am not sure how, but they say they can finish this.
icnif77:
Be careful! Once Gov. said 'no' to Z, (because no degree), Co./School will offer you other (F) visa, which is illegal.
When you'll pay housing in advance, you are bound to stay with the School, doesn't matter what they do. Most Schools offer free housing in China.
If it helps you any, I wrote out a list a while ago of things to consider when signing a contract. Shining Brow especially also gave some great advice, here:
http://answers.echinacities.com/question/what-checks-should-person-do-signing-chinese-contract
My own key advice would be to decide before you land exactly what you will be prepared to accept and not accept at work. Set your boundaries and DO NOT let anyone walk over you. Training schools will see an expensive foreign teacher as an investment and they will want the maximum possible return on their investment - if you're willing to let yourself be screwed over working a million hours a week, then that's what will happen.
Things just got complicated 
They ask me to pay 15500 RMB for Z visa. To finish work permit in Shanghai and I must go back to my country to finish the Z visa. It is possible that they cannot finish it at all.
But they told me it is more convenient that I finish the M visa in Hainan, no need to go back to my country but I must exit China to Hong Kong or Macau every 6 months, and to play dumb if somebody check me up.
This will probably end in going back to my country and not coming back to China.
icnif77:
Z doesn't cost 15000 Rmb! With that high price, School wants you to change your mind, and accept M. I think, M replaced F visa. You don't need to play dumb in HK. You must apply for new M each time. Your M can get denied by the Embassy. What then? If you summarise all conditions (and your payments), you won't be paid for your work! You'll be paying to the School to work there. Can you tell us the name of the city, School is located?
viango:
But what they gain by me accepting the M visa instead of Z visa.
icnif77:
Less Gov. 'troubles' (documents) for the School to obtain M. School must also be authorized by Gov. to sponsor Z. Probably, they aren't authorized.
It is typical Chinese way of doing business: 1. They have everything, you asked! 2. Then, for some 'UFO' reason, they can't keep their promise. 3. Offer of illegal visa follows.
And in your Contract, you are in charge (monnies) of everything.
viango:
I agree with you. Always UFO reasons in China.
I feel really bad for the people that get to dead end with them.
I don't need to stay in China, this was just one option for me. It is more important for me that I can enter China when I need, for other business purposes, than to get deported and get restriction for entering China for 5 years.
Yes, M is business visa, just like F before. Seems like you are right.
bye bye China
icnif77:
What is the name of the School, and in which city School is located?
Kid Castle, Tonglu, Hangzhou.
icnif77:
'No authorization to hire FT' at your School, IMHO. Can't do Z, but you probably asked, so they said 'yes'.
They also noted "provide work visa" in contract.
icnif77:
They should change that to ' FT provides (pays 15000 Rmb) for Z (working) visa'.
Where can I check if school have authorization to hire FT.
icnif77:
Follow that link I post at the 'Contract' tread, few days ago.
viango:
Checked, no Kid Castle in that list. And there are almost no training centers that can hire FT, mostly are public schools.
icnif77:
That link might not be updated. I am not sure, but my present RP sponsor is not listed there.
But what is that idea with Hainan M visa. Why they not finish that visa in same province where is school 
Hainan is near Vietnam, south of Guangdong province
yvonne975:
that idea is a lie! the visa policy has changed, I'm flying back to my country next weekend, my F expires...
kako vas nisam ranije pronasla :-( dear Bosnia, Croatia and Macedonia!
Greetings from Serbia!
honky:
@ Viango : I'm sorry to hear you've encountered such wankers! icniff77 is quite right, tehnically you'd be paying those guys to teach at their centre while bringing them all the ¥¥¥ from tuition fees.
@ yvonne: Hello! :) Zdravo. Kojim dobrom Vi u Kini, gospodična? :)
Read this daily:
http://jobs.echinacities.com/jobs/index/teaching-jobs
If you comply with the 'openings' demands, email away your CV, and wait for replies.
honky:
Be sure to type "non-native" or "European" into the middle (KEYWORD) search bar, it'll save you some time. 
icnif77:
@honky: 'Why would you write that in the search bar?' Remember, every School in the World wants 'Native English Teacher', bUtt... to satisfy Chinese demand of close to 300M English learning students in China, there should be 6M Native English teachers ready to teach in China.
If your spoken English is without (heavy) accent, and you have BA and other required documents, you'll be able to land English teaching job in China as Non-native English teacher.
honky:
@ icniff77: I just find it to be more practical and time-saving, especially with typing "non-native" - it will list only ads containing that specific phrase, i.e. schools willing to hire non-natives. One can apply other ads, of course, and find out the school is interested.
Hi, i already read about Helen group, had someone other info,maybe some people who don't has something to complain?
Thank's
icnif77:
You're looking for English classes, do you? Grammar, and things......
Viango, just be aware that there is NO possibility that you can get a legal Z Visa.
You do not qualify. You will either have to:
1. Fake certificates to get a proper Z visa
2. Pay an agent, who will give a dodgy Z visa
3. Work on another visa (m,l) and hope you don't get caught.
People do all of these, but all have risks you need to consider.
