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Pre-Departure
Working Terms and Conditions
Classroom / Lessons
About China
What are the basic qualifications? For most schools, the basic qualifications are as follows:
How long does it take to get a Z- Visa? The “Z-Visa” is the visa teachers need in order to enter into China. You should apply no later than 3 months before they want to depart. The visa application times can vary depending on how long it takes for you to gather your documents and also how long it takes for the different departments in China to process the documents. In general, you will need to go in person and have the following in order to apply for a Z-Visa at the Chinese embassy/consulate in the district of your residence:
Some other documents you will need in the initial part of the application process:
Typically it takes around 3 to 5 days to process your Z-Visa at the consulate. There is an option for expedited service at an extra cost. The Z-Visa enables you to enter legally into China. After you arrive, you may have to get a medical check done, and then have your host school apply for your Residence Permit and Foreign Expert Certificate, which allows you to stay in China for your contract duration. Please remember that this information is general information and each situation may vary. Also, the requirements can change so it is best to contact us or the consulate/embassy to find out the most up to date information. Do I need to provide a criminal record check? For China, a criminal record is not required for the purpose of obtaining a Z-Visa. However, some schools will ask teachers to provide a criminal record check, especially if the school caters to teaching children. Do I need to be able to speak Chinese? It always helps if you do know some Chinese, but for most positions, it is not a requirement. It is suggested that you try to learn some Chinese while in China in order to help you become more immersed in Chinese society. Check out some websites that may help you learn some basic Chinese on our China Links page under Language. www.newpathrecruitment.com/china-links.html When can I start? Different schools have different starting dates. Some schools will have starting dates every month, while others may only hire during a particular time of the year. For example, private language schools will hire depending on availability, whereas, public institutions have official start dates and would want to hire teachers accordingly. As mentioned in the visa section above, you should apply at least 3 months before you want to go as it can take some time for the visa application process. How do I apply? First step is to take a look at our jobs page to see if any of the positions interest you. Second, you can then either send us a message along with your resume from either our jobs page or contact page, or, send us a message and your resume through email to the following address: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it We will then take a look at your resume, and be able to give you more information regarding the position(s) you are interested in. How long are the contracts? Most contracts in China are one year long. However, sometimes there are options for shorter contracts, so please contact us to find out more. Will I be provided with an airfare ticket? Most schools will either reimburse the entire airfare amount or offer a travel allowance, which means that the school will only reimburse up to particular amount. So you must purchase your own airfare first, and then half will be reimbursed back to you during the start of your contract, and the other half will be reimbursed at the end of your contract. Will I be provided with an apartment? Most schools will provide teachers with some type of housing, whether it’s single or shared, on campus or off campus. Be sure to read your contract carefully as a contract with a higher salary may mean that you have to pay for your own housing. Housing is usually quite close to the schools, and is accessible by walking, riding a bike, or taking public transportation. Most housing comes with basic furnishings such as a bed, a table, some chairs, a TV, a fridge, a gas stove, some kitchen and table ware, a washing machine, shower, and a western style toilet. Utilities are often paid by the schools as well, but some schools will only cover a particular amount, and anything over this amount, you will be responsible for. Typical utilities include electricity, gas, and water. Is there training before I start teaching? Training will depend on each position, but most positions will have some type of training at the beginning to go over the curriculum and teaching methodologies. Training sessions can be a few days to a week long. If you have a TESL/TEFL certificate it will be helpful as you will have some familiarity with teaching communication focused lessons. Remember to have an open mind, and even though the training may not be extremely comprehensive, do you best and learn as you go. What is the average salary? There is quite a range when it comes to salaries in China. Most positions offer a salary between 5000RMB to 12,000RMB per month. You can see what the current exchange rate is at: www.xe.com The monthly salary is paid once a month and is usually a direct deposit into your Chinese bank account. What will my work schedule be like? For public schools and international schools, your work schedule will usually be five days a week with a shift between the times of 8am and 5pm. If you are working for a private language school, your work schedule will be five days a week with your lesson times starting later on in the afternoon around 3 or 4pm and finishing, at the latest, 9:30 or 10:00pm. Most schools will provide you with one to two weeks of paid vacation holidays, as well as days off for national holidays. There are currently 17 national holidays in China. Can my partner come with me? Yes, schools will generally accept couples as long as the availability is there. Couples will be able to live together as well. In some situations couples may live together but may be working at different schools during the day. How many students are there in each class? For public schools, the class size can range between 20 to 45 (sometimes more) students depending on the location of the schools. For private language schools, the class size is much smaller, usually ranging between 4 to 12 students per class. Is there a set curriculum, or do I make up my own lessons? Some private language schools may have a particular amount of content that must be taught within the school year. But the teacher may have flexibility on how he/she teaches the content. Some smaller schools will give you lots of freedom and allow you to create your own lessons from scratch. Larger schools, on the other hand, usually have a set curriculum and the teacher will follow it, while creating some parts of the lesson on their own. For the public school sector, China is making English a priority and is trying to standardize English education in both the primary and secondary schools. However, many English programs are still very informal and do not have a standardized curriculum. When teaching, what should I wear? Teachers are usually required to wear business casual attire when teaching, unless otherwise specified. But you don’t have to go out and buy lots of new clothes before you go to China because you can get everything you need in China and at a much lower price. Large metropolitan areas will have everything you need and with variety, whereas smaller areas will have everything you need but with less variety and choices. The one major concern is the sizes of clothing that are available. Asians are relatively smaller than the average North American, so if you feel that you are bigger, then you should probably bring clothes from back home. Airplane – Flying to China There are many airports in China, but here is a list of the major airports: Dalian Airport Beijing Airport Shanghai Hongqiao Airport Shanghai Pudong Airport Xiamen Airport Baiyun Airport Baoan Airport Hong Kong Airport Guilin Airport Chongqing Airport Chengdu Airport Xianyang Airport For useful links regarding airports, please click on the China Links page and see under Transportation: www.newpathrecruitment.com/china-links.html If you are traveling to China from North America, the most common airlines used are: Air China Asiana Airlines United Airlines Delta Airlines Air Canada China Eastern Airlines Cathay Pacific Banking/Money You will be required to open up a Chinese bank account so that the school can directly deposit your salary. This is usually possible after you receive your Residence Permit. You must also bring your passport and teaching contract. Once a bank account is opened you should get a bank card. ATMs are available and since cash is used most often, having a bank card is critical. Credit cards are not widely used, but you can use it in places such as major hotels and large department stores, some supermarkets, and some restaurants. If teachers need to send money back home, this can be done through wire transfers through the bank. There is a cost associated with this but it is quite reasonable. Another option is to use a service such as Western Union. Computers/Internet You can definitely find some cheap computers to buy in China, but be aware that you might have trouble getting an English operating system, and also making sure that it’s a genuine copy. If you can bring your own laptop to China, that would be your best option. Getting the internet for your apartment shouldn’t be a problem, but don’t expect to be dealing with English support staff. You should get a colleague or a friend to help you have your internet hooked up. If you don’t want to bring your own computer or buy one in China, there is the option of using internet cafes. There are many in the big cities, and also in smaller cities as well. The rates are reasonable at around 10RMB to 50RMB per hour. Censorship is an issue in China, so you might not be able to see some websites that you are used to seeing. For some interesting information on internet censorship in China, click on this Wikipedia link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_censorship_in_the_People%27s_Republic_of_China Cost of Living/How much can I save The cost of living in China is quite low, especially if you try to live like a Chinese person. Typically, teachers receive salaries that are four times the regular Chinese worker. You can save between $500 to $1000 USD and still live comfortably. When you first go to China, you should bring between $500 to $1000 USD with you. If you can exchange some of your money to Chinese RMB before you leave, that would be a good idea. Or, you can exchange it at the airport in China or at a major bank such as the Bank of China. Driver’s license If you want to drive in China, you must apply for a Chinese driver’s license. However, we suggest that you don’t drive in China, as the license application process can be complicated and traffic in China may not be good for your health! International driver licenses are not recognized because China has not signed the convention which created IDPS (International Driving Permits). We suggest that you walk, bike, or take public transit such as subways and buses to get to where you want to go. Etiquette To help you understand some basics of Chinese etiquette and related concepts, please take a look at this link http://autumnjade.com/culture.html For 10 Chinese etiquette tips, please click on the following link:  10 Chinese Etiquette Tips(48KB)Food You have probably heard of Chinese people eating all kinds of animals that westerners usually do not eat. Some of it is true, but don’t worry, the most common meats are pork, chicken, beef, and both freshwater and saltwater fish. There are also many kinds of vegetables, and carbohydrate foods such as rice, noodles, and buns. There are many types of flavors in China and it can depend on each region. 4 very popular styles of cooking, some of which you may be familiar with, are Beijing style, Shanghai style, Sichuan/Szechuan (spicy) style, and Cantonese style. Regarding supermarkets, they are becoming more popular due to their convenience, lower prices, and large selection of products. You can find everything you need for your daily life. There are large foreign companies, such as Walmart, that have entered the Chinese market, and also, there are domestic companies, such as Home World, Trust-Mart, and Renrenle, which are very popular with the Chinese people. Be aware that bargaining does not occur in these supermarkets. Regarding drinking water, you should not drink tap water. Bottled water is cheap and available everywhere. If you are going to use tap water, you should boil it for at least 15 minutes, but this still may not get rid of every bacteria. Health Insurance Most schools will provide you with some type of health insurance, whether it is an accidental health insurance, serious illness health insurance, or a private health insurance. However, it is strongly recommended that you get your own private expat health insurance which will give you proper coverage and peace of mind. If you don’t have proper insurance in China, it can be very costly so you shouldn’t take that chance. Regarding vaccinations, please consult with your physician or a travel medical clinic to find out if there are any up to date recommendations. If you would like more information on obtaining travel medical insurance and to hear about the different options of coverage, please email or call our medical insurance advisor Mr. Carey Alden. Carey is an insurance advisor for MacNaughton and Ward Insurance. He has had experience with many teachers from Canada and the USA who have gone abroad to teach. Please contact him to find out more information. Carey Alden Cell: (604) 783-0703 Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Website: www.macwardins.com Learning Chinese Unlike many other Asian countries, the majority of Chinese people do not speak any English and nor do they care about learning it. Therefore, learning the Chinese language will definitely be beneficial for you. If you can learn some basic conversation before you go to China that would be helpful. Once you are in China, there are private language schools, private tutors, or community learning centers where you can learn Chinese. Most teaching positions do not require you to speak Chinese. But if you did, it would help you to understand what your students might be saying to you, and also it would help you to build a stronger connection with the Chinese staff members at your school. Learning the host countries language is always challenging and at times frustrating, but by learning the language it helps you to immerse yourself in the culture, make friends, and simply get a lot more out of your overseas experience. Telephone/Communications Cell phones in China are cheap there are contracts for both short term and long term. Since most cell phones are made in China you can probably get a pretty nice one for much less than what you would have to pay back home. But, if you really want to take your own cell phone to China, you can, but make sure it is a GSM phone, make sure it is unlocked, and when you buy the SIM card make sure it’s one that works everywhere in China. The most reliable companies are China Mobile and China Unicom. If you want to call long distance, you can buy a international phone card. They are inexpensive and they are sold everywhere. You should also consider you using Skype or other web based services for long distance calling. Transportation The different modes of transportation in China are by car, taxi, bus, train, subway, bicycle, or walking. As a teacher, you will most likely be walking, riding a bike, taking the bus, or riding the subway if you are in a major city such as Beijing or Shanghai. Bicycles used to be the most popular mode of transportation in the cities, but as these cities get larger and larger, cars and taxis now rule the streets. Visas The typical visas for China are: Z-Visa (Work Visa) This visa is required for people who want to work in China. So as a teacher, you will need this visa to enter. It is a single entry visa. Once you arrive in China and register with the local authorities within 30 days, you will then receive something called a Residence Permit, which will allows for multiple exit and entry. L-Visa (Tourist Visa) This is the visa that a tourist would need. Single, double, and multiple entries are available and the duration is between 30 to 90 days. F-Visa (Business Visa) This is the visa issued to people who go to China for business, research, lecturing, science related, technology related, and cultural exchanges. Single, double, and multiple entry is available. For more information on visas, check out the China Links page and see under Visas. www.newpathrecruitment.com/china-links.html Weather The weather in China varies greatly due to the immense size of the country. In general, the winters are dry and cold, and in the summer it is hot and humid. The following will give you a good idea of which areas have what type of weather: Cold-Temperate Zone: north part of Heilongjiang Province and Inner Mongolia (Representative city: Harbin) Mid-Temperate Zone: Jilin, northern Xinjiang, and most of Heilongjiang, Liaoning, and Inner Mongolia (Representative cities: Beijing, Shenyang, Dalian, Urumqi, Hohhot, Dunhuang, Lanzhou) Warm-Temperate Zone: area of the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River, Shandong, Shanxi, Shaanxi, and Hebei Province (Representative cities: Xian, Taiyuan, Luoyang, Jinan, Qingdao, Zhengzhou) Subtropical Zone: South of isotherm of Qinling Mountain-Huaihe River, east of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (Representative cities: Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Macau, Guilin, Hangzhou, Suzhou, Kunming, Dali, Lijiang, Chengdu) Tropical Zone: Hainan province, southern Taiwan, Guangdong, and Yunnan Province (Representative cities: Haikou, Sanya) Plateau Climate Zone: Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (Representative city: Lhasa) The above information is from http://travelchinaguide.com |
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| Last Updated ( Monday, 31 August 2009 ) |
