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Q: When do you think it's the time to leave China ?what could be the reasons?
When will you leave China ? What could be the reason ?
I'm assuming this is a troll question seeing as you provide no background, anecdotes or reasons for asking the question. But it's still a relevant question so I'll give it a go: people are leaving China for all kinds of reasons at the moment. Here are some:
1. The economy is slowing and it's much harder for foreigners to strike it rich here than it was 10-15 years ago. Being foreign, willing to live here, and speaking some Chinese won't open up many doors these days. A lot of people hoping to strike it big here have struck out and are heading home.
2. Pollution, food safety and general quality of life issues cause a lot of people to leave. If you have prospects back home, why stay in a place with some of the worst pollution in the world and constant food safety scandals? Not to mention a stone age education system. It's not a great place to raise a family, especially if you're not Chinese.
3. Corporate expat packages are harder to get these days - more and more people in non-esl jobs don't get the cushy packages that used to be standard. There are a lot more half pat type jobs that don't pay much better than esl teaching (if at all) so those are not as worth sticking around for.
4. ESL salaries have stayed pretty flat over time despite massive increases in the cost of living. 10k/month and an apartment ain't what it used to be. Teachers find themselves with less disposable income than they used to. Although this is starting to change due to increased demand and reduced supply of FT's thanks to reason 2.
These are some of the reasons that a lot of people are leaving China. I'm sure there are plenty more. What did I miss? Oh right, having to deal with unpleasant locals again and again can be very annoying too. Some people just hate the spitting, loudness and general rude behavior that is commonplace in China.
Eorthisio:
Agreed, employers in China have been joking around with FTs for far too long, now they are paying the consequences. The supply decreases rapidly while the demand keeps increasing.
Every foreigners should consider this when applying for a job in China, they won't beg you obviously but schools and training centers are truly desperate for FTs these days and I fear that the coming term in September many of them won't be able to get any FT. So ask for more, 15000 or 20000, be crazy and go for 25000 like in international schools. Private schools definitely have the budget to pay you that much, principals let alone owners in China put so much money into their pockets.
Don't just accept their first offer, if they say 10000 it means they can afford to pay 15000. China is all about bargaining. In most cases, their marketing strategy revolves entirely around FTs, without you they have no business, never forget that.
glow in the dark meat.
exploding water mellons.
Poisonous baby powder.
...what do you mean, these things already happened?!
I'm assuming this is a troll question seeing as you provide no background, anecdotes or reasons for asking the question. But it's still a relevant question so I'll give it a go: people are leaving China for all kinds of reasons at the moment. Here are some:
1. The economy is slowing and it's much harder for foreigners to strike it rich here than it was 10-15 years ago. Being foreign, willing to live here, and speaking some Chinese won't open up many doors these days. A lot of people hoping to strike it big here have struck out and are heading home.
2. Pollution, food safety and general quality of life issues cause a lot of people to leave. If you have prospects back home, why stay in a place with some of the worst pollution in the world and constant food safety scandals? Not to mention a stone age education system. It's not a great place to raise a family, especially if you're not Chinese.
3. Corporate expat packages are harder to get these days - more and more people in non-esl jobs don't get the cushy packages that used to be standard. There are a lot more half pat type jobs that don't pay much better than esl teaching (if at all) so those are not as worth sticking around for.
4. ESL salaries have stayed pretty flat over time despite massive increases in the cost of living. 10k/month and an apartment ain't what it used to be. Teachers find themselves with less disposable income than they used to. Although this is starting to change due to increased demand and reduced supply of FT's thanks to reason 2.
These are some of the reasons that a lot of people are leaving China. I'm sure there are plenty more. What did I miss? Oh right, having to deal with unpleasant locals again and again can be very annoying too. Some people just hate the spitting, loudness and general rude behavior that is commonplace in China.
Eorthisio:
Agreed, employers in China have been joking around with FTs for far too long, now they are paying the consequences. The supply decreases rapidly while the demand keeps increasing.
Every foreigners should consider this when applying for a job in China, they won't beg you obviously but schools and training centers are truly desperate for FTs these days and I fear that the coming term in September many of them won't be able to get any FT. So ask for more, 15000 or 20000, be crazy and go for 25000 like in international schools. Private schools definitely have the budget to pay you that much, principals let alone owners in China put so much money into their pockets.
Don't just accept their first offer, if they say 10000 it means they can afford to pay 15000. China is all about bargaining. In most cases, their marketing strategy revolves entirely around FTs, without you they have no business, never forget that.
Dangling hooks falling from the sky with tasty worms on them but to my surprise giant fish just eat me.
Personally, I think it's time to come back. I miss everything about China.
This question is aimed at the wrong people.
There are more Chinese Nationals leave China every year then there are foreign "ex-pats" who leave.
In my own social circle, I don't know of any full time foreigners who have left China in the past 3 years. People come and go of course, teachers do a fixed contract and move on. They come here with the plan to leave. Same with the corporate people on secondment. They come, they go. It's all on a plan.
But full timers leave.... nope... don't know any who have gone.
But I know 4 Chinese who left China, 3 are women married to westerners, and one was an accountant dude who took his family to the UK on a student visa. I also know of many more Chinese who have left. I don't know them personally so I can't include them in my subjective statistics.
Numbers are difficult to find, but I suspect more Chinese Nationals leave China every year, never to return, than there are full time foreigners in China.
Ask Chinese people why they leave.
Ha ha, as an afterthought, I know many foreigners who say they plan to leave. But they say that on a BCD. The next day they change their minds.
Here in my theory. BCD (bad Chinese days), GCD ( good Chinese days) HHD( hey Ho days, neutral).
( GCD + HHD) - BCD < 0 ?
Go home.
(GCD + HHD) - BCD > 0?
Stay.
(GCD + HHD) - BCD = 0?
Go to the bar.
In an average month, my ScotsAlan's theorem score is normally about + 24.
But that could be because I have a pretty good bar within spitting distance of my house 
ScotsAlan:
As an afterthought, pedantic people may argue that my equal weighting of GCD and HHD is wrong. But I disagree. They are equal. A humdrum day in China is no different than a humdrum day anywhere.
But I admit, there is a flaw in my theorem. If your score in China is 10, and you think your score in another country would be 20, then should you go?
Well, that comes down to your own definition of the factors in the equation.
dongbeiren:
Your calculations make a lot of sense - a lot of people definitely overemphasize the bad days without taking time to consider all of the advantages of living in China.
Depends on the location and the person.
I think the major reason is just feeling like a constant outcast.
There are other reasons like:
- family (education, healthcare)
- pollution
- too crowded
- food safety
- poor manners and ethics
