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Q: Is it worth choosing to teach in China now?
With the laws ever tightening with regards foreigners being in China, nevermind working here, is China becoming a closed country to foreigners?
Before, you used to be able to go to Hong Kong on a visa run every year, but this has now been stopped for the only legal visa which you can work on.
With the scams and bad agents out there who are looking for teachers, it is becoming almost impossible. A friend of mine correctly mentioned how newcomers here have to be wet behind the ears and naive/ignorant (both?) to come here. He has a point.
I was lied to by an agent back in 2010 about a job with EF. I had a contract and everything - was re-assured that I can get my visa in Chengdu, which I had done before, or in Hong Kong, which I again did do in the summer of 2010. Sadly, this agent lied to me, and I was overlooked by EF, in favour of a woman who was travelling from Shanghai. Again, this was despite me being e-mailed a contract online and being asked to be here within two days. Sadly, I found out later that the same agent caused many problems for a number of different foreigners - many involving EF.
Ever since the above incident, and on occasions before this, I have got jobs in China and, at worst, gone to HK for the visa-run. The visa-run is being stopped though.
Now, it seems the only way you can work here safely is to spend a fortune coming here, staying long enough to get everything to then go back and get the Z visa, and then come back and work legally. This can cost a bomb. In cases, obsoleting anything you may earn from your annual salary. The only other way seems to be the teaching programs that they have in various locations.
Now, salaries are still not that high, really. Inland, you are lucky to get 8,000 in most cities. Only the big cities pay more (10k+), but rarely do they pay anywhere near 20k. Yet, one has to spend a fortune on flight tickets to be able to come here. In my case, over £700 (7000RMB). The rest of the procedure cost me over 15k. More including the cost of getting the visa in the UK.
So, back to the question. Is it becoming un-worthwhile, and to hard, problematic, and a headache to come here and teach? Bear in mind, the laws are going to be a lot stricter from July, and particularly in the big cities, if you are here working illegally, god help you.
11 years 11 weeks ago in Visa & Legalities - China
No. I don't think it's worth it. I am one of these much-maligned, unqualified charlatans you all seem too keen to execute through forums. Having said that, I took my work seriously, tried my hardest, and can hold a class far better than someone with a Mickey Mouse Sports Science degree.
Let's face facts. China is a fairly horrible and rude place. If it's not the locals winding everyone up, then it's ex-pats that have this belief they are the only ones worthy of a China life.
We all know how the system works. If a school can roll out a pretty, white face then they're happy. How they go about this is the difference. I didn't think my old school was up to much, but having read a few threads on here, it seems they were pretty good. Flight in advance. Room for free with no bills. Not only did they pay for all my visa costs, they also faked my certification for me. It seems like I resided in a Chinese heaven and didn't realise it.
I think we should go to China for the experience and not with an idea to make money. Personally, I'm not sure I'll ever set foot back in that country again.That's just the conclusion two years of living there has left me with. If you're qualified then that's great - but perhaps avoid China and head elsewhere. It's saturated and has had it's day.
Rin:
Agreed. Also, why would anyone come here wanting to save? Chinas salary is very poor. Why not go to Japan/Korea.
it's interesting that this topic, although posted a year and 8 month ago, it's so actual and needs to be answered now even more than it was last year, I guess in January 2013. Good question, indeed!
