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Q: Obtaining work visa in China questions
I am an Australian citizen currently living in Beijing, China on a X1 visa + Resident Permit which will expire on the 1st of March 2015. I am in Beijing as part of my university course back in Sydney, Australia, this is my last year of my 5 year course and I will have completed all my subjects at the end of the year. I am 23 years old and my birthday is in August.
I want to find a full time English teaching job which provides me with a Z visa, preferably before I have to leave the country on the 1st of March. I have a TEFL certificate from TEFL in China, as well as about 6 months of English teaching experience.
Questions:
1. If I am able to find a full time job which provides me with a Z visa, can I convert my X visa to the Z visa at any time, probably via a Hong Kong visa run? Or must I wait till the X visa expires on 1st of March before being able to apply for the Z visa?
2. As I mentioned, all my subjects will be completed at the end of the year, and I technically will have 'graduated'. The problem is that my actual paper certificate which lists my degree will be awarded to me about 6 months later at the graduation ceremony, at that time my residence permit will have expired and I would have to already have returned to my country. What I WILL have at around December this year, is an official 'Letter of Completion' from the university, stating that I have completed all my subjects and that I am eligible to graduate, as well as a copy of my university transcript which shows my marks for all my 5 years of classes. My question is are these two documents a suitable replacement for a successful Z visa application?
3. One of the 'requirements' of a work visa is 2 years of work experience, does my TEFL certificate from the TEFL in China course count as a suitable replacement?
4. Another 'requirement' is that work visa applications must be at least 24 years old, but I have heard that this requirement is extremely lenient and it is not a problem if a company really wants you, hence my quotation marks around the word 'requirement'. Is any of this true?
Thanks in advance and if any further information is required to accurately answer my questions, please don't hesistate to ask.
9 years 29 weeks ago in Visa & Legalities - Beijing
I can answer no. 1.
Your new employer must apply for Working permit and Invitation letter at SAFEA (Foreign Expert Bureau). On Invitation letter must be written Z visa pick-up.
Some T1 cities SAFEA doesn't approve Z HK pick-up, but applicant must return home, and apply for Z visa in Chinese Embassy.
However, that 'rule' varies from Province to Province.
You'll also need Medical Exam not older than 3 months. If you plan to do HK visa run, complete your Medical in China, because it's 10 times cheaper than in HK.
I got Z in HK few months ago. However, some placement agents told me, that I might be required to return to EU for Z.
You're not qualified and will not be allowed to work legally.
Yes. icnif77 is right ! Follow the step and let your company look for the local agent is much easy to solve the questions but some province they need you at least have two years experience if you are looking for local agent maybe this can be waived
they will ask you for your degree.. The completion letter does not cover the requirements. If you are working with a really good company who already hired foreigners and provide visa, it can be done easily.
regarding #3, I'm pretty sure they want 2 years working experience from outside China, because if you have experience from China, the company might as well get a Chinese national to do the job.
Also is your 5 yr degree a bachelor+masters degree? And how long have you been on your X1 visa in China?
My advice would be to consult a native English speaking expert advisor on Chinese immigration and employment laws, related matters and procedures.
Unfortunately, there is always more to consider than is obvious. Also, it is not simply about how to secure the visa you want legally and correctly, but also what your rights are once you have such, and what to do if something goes wrong with a working relationship with an employer; as well as the procedures and the way to change employers smoothly - as you may likely want to do at some future point in time.
If you would like me to recommend the one I have used to you, please email me at nativeenglishspeaker@msn.com and I will be happy to pass on contact details.
Hotwater:
Let me guess....you're a "native English speaking expert advisor on Chinese immigration and employment laws" who just happened to come across this 7 week old question & registered to reply out of the goodness of your heart?
