Ok, so now that I have left the hotel I was staying at and am now in an apartment I should register with the police? I don't have any kind of rental agreement though because the apartment is provided by my job, but I only have a tourist visa so probably shouldn't tell them that right?

If you are one of those who are working on a tourist or business visa, you should be reported, deported and banned from re-entering China. It's those kind of selfish people who are ruining it for others.

You always have to register your new address. It doesn't matter if it's a tourist visa. If you are on a tourist visa then you are working illegally. If the school is providing the apartment then you might have a problem registrating if they can't cover for you. If they cover for you but see that it's a tourist visa, that will bring up a red flag. No to judge anyone but be careful.

I wasn't aware that my visa was a tourist visa until after I arrived here, so I dunno what I can do about it now. I'm not sure how it's selfish though. And I haven't actually started working yet but I can't exactly leave

Getting a working visa is not easy. You have to have a criminal background check. There were several incidents around China where teacher were abusing the kids. So they are cracking down hard. Some school know it's illegal to hire teachers on a tourist visa and they don't really care. They just want to hire a foreigner as soon as possible. If you get caught then expect a hefty fine plus deportation and or imprisonment.

。。。。。。oh my god。。she applied and had a visa processed and she didnt even know what she was applying for, until she arrived. srsly wtf, gtfo of this country. dox and report her.

I think that she came in on a tourist visa and then afterwards found a job at a school. Correct me if I'm wrong.

You won't be imprisoned although you are breaking the law. I don't see how it's selfish either.

@Amylaura Hopefully by now your position will have been sorted out - one way or the other. You may or may not have 'broken the law' and as Alien has pointed out, even if you have you have not found yourself imprisoned, fitted with leg irons or paraded around in an orange jump suit. By now you may have had direct contact with the PSB who you'll have found businesslike, human and even mildly sympathetic. Any infringement of the law will probably be seen as technical with no lasting consequences. I've just spent no less than 25 minutes walking around my house looking for sun-glasses that were perched on the back of my head - I feel a bit stupid but any inconvenience is totally mine. Likewise with your position. As pointed out in the previous post, nothing you have done can be viewed as selfish. And now to the point of this post; you may be surprised with, and have a lasting bad taste in your mouth, about one particular post directed toward you. That post will be seen as surprising and in bad taste by others. Anyone new to Kunming coming on here and seeking advice has invariably received help and a welcome. Your visa issue (if it exists) is fleeting and will be sorted out and you can get on with your life and enjoy Kunming. It seems others continue to feel vulnerable, insecure and liable to lash out. That's a problem for them.

Thank you to the people who have tried to help and advise me, it's greatly appreciated. I feel very naive for trusting the school (and solicitor and agent ) to sort out the correct visa for me. I will talk with somebody at school to try and resolve this asap, hopefully before i start working.