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Sign up with Google Sign up with FacebookQ: Does a foreigner need a work permit to work as a volunteer teacher in a Chinese school
Would I need a Z visa and work permit to work as a volunteer in a Chinese school?
4 years 6 weeks ago in Teaching & Learning - China
First, you should ask yourself how will you find teaching work in China as volunteer. You didn't read any job volunteering vacancies in China, did you?
Chinese don't know what volunteering is, so you can get paid work as an English teacher and you will need Z visa.
Stiggs:
I've heard of missionaries doing volunteer work, or working for so cheap they may as well be free. I think I've even seen adverts for volunteer teachers in China - probably not recently though.
Missionaries are usually about as welcome in China as a foreigner coming into the country from somewhere crawling with the coronavirus.
icnif77:
I'd say, Western volunteering, i.e. missionary has 'religious beat' for Chinese Gov. I've never seen an advert for it, but once I was in Xinjiang, I offered to the school 10 extra classes per month without pay with mentally challenged students (Grade 1-3) beside everyone else, but there was no interest at my offer. I even had feeling School's officials felt embarrassed at my push, i.e. face and things, but I mean it.
I had several such students in Grade 2 and 3 whose English was better than the rest of the class and two of them they were my buddies ... but 'mentally challenged' and I saw that as a rare teaching opportunity.
In West, one must finish an extra degree to work with such kids.
You're right Stiggs. I found some 'volunteering in China' adverts:
1-10 months
https://www.unitedplanet.org/volunteer-abroad/short-term/china
https://www.gooverseas.com/volunteer-abroad/china
https://www.volunteerworld.com/en/volunteer-abroad/china
.. and more
Click on weblink and see what are the requirements and get in touch with them. I don't think, you'll need to get Z visa, but if so, individual program will take care of that for you, I am sure ...
diverdude1:
good one Stiggs! haha,,, really sums the 'missionary' thing up here! lol,,,, I lived about 2 years next to one of the Christian church facades in chiner,,,, never saw one person go in or out.....
Stiggs:
Icnif... yep, when you see 'volunteer' it screams missionary. No necessarily true obviously, lots of people like the idea of offering their services but if you're a govt visa officer you'd probably suspect that.
Regardless, I can't see many foreigners being able to enter China in the near future.
icnif77:
Yeah, this is not much different than NGOs. You accept volunteering and come to China, police most likely see you as an 'undercover James Bond'.
OP can enrol through these weblinks. There's more on search for 'Volunteer in China'.
Why do you think you will need a work permit to work, even though it is unpaid work? Do you think you have answered your own question? But don't worry, nothing could go wrong if you work on a tourist visa. Chinese authorities are always cool about this sort of thing.
First, you should ask yourself how will you find teaching work in China as volunteer. You didn't read any job volunteering vacancies in China, did you?
Chinese don't know what volunteering is, so you can get paid work as an English teacher and you will need Z visa.
Stiggs:
I've heard of missionaries doing volunteer work, or working for so cheap they may as well be free. I think I've even seen adverts for volunteer teachers in China - probably not recently though.
Missionaries are usually about as welcome in China as a foreigner coming into the country from somewhere crawling with the coronavirus.
icnif77:
I'd say, Western volunteering, i.e. missionary has 'religious beat' for Chinese Gov. I've never seen an advert for it, but once I was in Xinjiang, I offered to the school 10 extra classes per month without pay with mentally challenged students (Grade 1-3) beside everyone else, but there was no interest at my offer. I even had feeling School's officials felt embarrassed at my push, i.e. face and things, but I mean it.
I had several such students in Grade 2 and 3 whose English was better than the rest of the class and two of them they were my buddies ... but 'mentally challenged' and I saw that as a rare teaching opportunity.
In West, one must finish an extra degree to work with such kids.
You're right Stiggs. I found some 'volunteering in China' adverts:
1-10 months
https://www.unitedplanet.org/volunteer-abroad/short-term/china
https://www.gooverseas.com/volunteer-abroad/china
https://www.volunteerworld.com/en/volunteer-abroad/china
.. and more
Click on weblink and see what are the requirements and get in touch with them. I don't think, you'll need to get Z visa, but if so, individual program will take care of that for you, I am sure ...
diverdude1:
good one Stiggs! haha,,, really sums the 'missionary' thing up here! lol,,,, I lived about 2 years next to one of the Christian church facades in chiner,,,, never saw one person go in or out.....
Stiggs:
Icnif... yep, when you see 'volunteer' it screams missionary. No necessarily true obviously, lots of people like the idea of offering their services but if you're a govt visa officer you'd probably suspect that.
Regardless, I can't see many foreigners being able to enter China in the near future.
icnif77:
Yeah, this is not much different than NGOs. You accept volunteering and come to China, police most likely see you as an 'undercover James Bond'.
OP can enrol through these weblinks. There's more on search for 'Volunteer in China'.
Any work, volunteer or paid, is illegal in China, unless it is agreed upon and part of the company or school you are working for. It is just that simple. No working outside of your contract agreement. If you do, you suffer the consequences if caught.