By continuing you agree to eChinacities's Privacy Policy .
Sign up with Google
Sign up with Facebook
Q: Would you marry in China as a non-native English speaker?
European and South-American non-natives can teach in China with the correct Z-visa legally in about 7-8 provinces, the rest are off-limits for us. I am considering taking the plunge into English teaching starting from this September, though I have a little dilemma. Let's assume that I find a nice Chinese girl, get married and have our own family. It's all nice, but there is always the possibility that China suddenly changes visa laws regarding English teaching and restricts all English-teaching jobs to native-English speakers in all provinces just like South-Korea does now. If you don't come from the right country, no matter how many years of teaching experience or what qualifications you have, you simply can not teach English there legally.
I am a bit afraid that Visa laws may change and destroy me and my family's future in China. I can not teach my native language, no-one wants to learn Hungarian, the only job I can do is English teaching.
If I wanted to do everything very safe I could just start working in the UK, become citizen in six years, get the passport and start teaching in China then, but that would mean at least 7 years before I can do what I really want to do now, teaching English in China.
If you are a non-native speaker, have you considered this issue before? Should I not worry that much and just start teaching as soon as possible?
9 years 12 weeks ago in Teaching & Learning - China
You want to teach in China, or marry a Chinese ? That's quite different ^^ If getting married is your plan, save yourself a metric ton of trouble and start to date in your nearest Chinese community...
You can find work as an English teacher even as non-native speaker, but it's not easy to have a stable, long term situation doing that (some do, and kudos for that). If long-term stability is your main concern, then teaching (does not have to be English) in a private international school is your best shot. It's well-paid, fairly secure, and you got the kid's school issue covered without having to sell your organs.
If you want to teach here and can get a job I say go for it.
If you plan to marry eventually, don't plan to make your life in China, or at least have other options. Like you say, anything can happen and you might decide China isn't a place you want to settle down in and raise your kids.
Also, I'm not sure that as a non-native speaker you can actually get a legal z visa / RP. Some provinces may be easier to bend the rules in but that could change at any time.
Whatever you decide, good luck.
You want to teach in China, or marry a Chinese ? That's quite different ^^ If getting married is your plan, save yourself a metric ton of trouble and start to date in your nearest Chinese community...
You can find work as an English teacher even as non-native speaker, but it's not easy to have a stable, long term situation doing that (some do, and kudos for that). If long-term stability is your main concern, then teaching (does not have to be English) in a private international school is your best shot. It's well-paid, fairly secure, and you got the kid's school issue covered without having to sell your organs.
Have you been to China yet? If yes, how long for? Anyway
, if you want to find a Chinese wife just go to an Asian dating website. Get a gf then ask her to help sort you out with a teaching job. Then come over with a return ticket and see how it goes. Do it the opposite direction to your plan. If your gf cant sort you out a job, then at least once you are here you can go to the bars with your gf and find out who will employ you with a z visa. Then use your return ticket to go get your z.
Dr.Monkey's advice is good. Try to get qualified to teach in an international school, you don't usually need to be a native if you have proper teaching credentials. You can make a decent living and raise your family on it.
I know countless Europeans and Russians teaching in Shenzhen on working visa or spouse visa, officially you can't teach English in Shenzhen unless you are a native English speaker from one of the Big 5 (US, UK, Canada, OZ and NZ), but this is China, if your employer got guanxi they can get a Z visa, if you are on a spouse visa no one will cause you troubles because it makes everyone else's job and life easier than if you were on a Z visa.
"I am a bit afraid that Visa laws may change and destroy me and my family's future in China."
That is the risk you run....will it happen? dunno.....could it happen? , maybe.
China isn't really set up for this, no matter what they say. (5 years = Green Card...blah, blah)
Its all smoke and mirrors, because TPTB only just tolerate us (See Yang Rui = Trash outburst)
Korea & Japan, get married and you can get the right to stay and some rights to go along with that. China...no such luck.
But hey....you never know if you don't try...the future Mrs better like Goulash if it all goes t*ts up 
Chhris:
yeah, also she better learn how to make good Goulash otherwise I don't think I can marry her :( :P
Sorry sorry sorry ...
Why do you want to teach English in China?
Not that there's anything wrong with that.
joannaq2727:
Pay attention hehehe
He wants to fnd a chinese wife ad teaching english will support them both.
Thats not going to happen, once you have a Resident Working Permit, you can go anywhere and work in those 7 to 8 places or maybe more. Once you have it you are safe. Also China isn't into splitting family up.
Chhris:
Thanks， you and Eorthisio's answer reassured me a bit, if I decide to get married there I want things to go smooth afterwards.
China is quite humane when it comes to families. And yes I would not hesitate to marry in China. Whether I stay here or not depends on the pollution - not the language.
