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Q: taught in China for 7 years.why do i need to return Oz 1 year before i can return. FEC issue
Signed new contract with current school in Ningbo. Now find out the relevant department wont renew my FEC. They say i must return to Australia for 1 year and then i can return to continue teaching.
Have been in China teaching for 7 years.
First 3 years i taught in Hubei. Second 3 years Wenzhou and present school 1 year.
Does anyone know the correct ruling / law regarding this situation?
Do i need to return australia or just move to another province, start teaching and renew FEC there.
10 years 51 weeks ago in Visa & Legalities - Ningbo
Sounds a little fishy. I've been working in Ningbo for almost 3 years now, but not as a teacher....but I wouldn't think that should matter. My next renewal's not due until this October. I know, I'm not much help, but at least this will get you bumped over to the "Latest Answers" page....surely someone will have better input 
Actually, I thought foreigners had to leave China after five years. It seems you got a bonus two years. Not sure of the reason, but I guess they don't want foreigners getting too comfortable in China.
Traveler:
If the local authorities have decided no FEC for 1 year, I think it will be almost impossible to make them change their mind.
My guess is that it is "punishment" for staying two years longer than the law allows.
Hi. A cursory google search indicates something along the lines of a '5 year rule'. But it seems pretty minor according to some accounts; you just have to leave China for 30 consecutive days before your slate is wiped clean and you start again from day 1 upon your return.
So based on this, a year in Australia seems way too steep.
However like all things here, nothing is concrete, and everything varies according to province etc. I know a guy in Chengdu for example, worked there for 5 years, was told he was then not allowed work for a further year, so he decided to study instead on a student visa for year 6. In year 7, he can start working again.
5 year rule is enforced when they want to, maybe get a new passport with new number and start over in a new province.
The 5-year rule was originally meant for technology workers...not teachers. This rule seems to be "enforced" when a school wants to get rid of an employee or by clerks who know the rule exists, but don't know the rule is not applied to ESL teachers. Sometimes, just applying again and getting a different (or indifferent) clerk solves this problem. Try, try again.
