Just to update everyone about the new requirements for the Foreign Expert Certificates.
These requirements were valid country wide as of December 9th 2015 and were forwarded to me by a colleague this morning.
As follows:
The Yunnan Foreign Expert Bureau now requires all foreign teachers academic degrees to be authenticated by Chinese embassies in their home countries. This applies for the renewal of permits expiring this year for those teachers already in China. As well as authentication of the degrees the bureau also requires authentication of TEFL degrees as well as translation of degrees, transcripts and TEFL certificates. This process can only be carried out at the Chinese embassy of your home country.
I write for those of us who may be heading home for the New Year Break and so can get the necessary work done then.
The notice then went on to state (what we already suspected) that nationals who teach English must hold the nationality of an English speaking country. The exception being those who come from non English speaking countries but have a Masters degree from a university in an English speaking country.
Overseas Chinese who were born in China but hold the passport of another nation will no longer be eligible for FEC in the education sector.
Thought it may be useful to know or prepare for.
This may be in line with the national immigration computer system they are planning to roll out.
Keep in mind that many embassies and consulates require several weeks to process (that note is taken from the Toronto consulate) AND they will most likely be closed during the Spring Festival holiday.
Can you provide a source for these new requirements?
My source was a colleague who had received an email from his head office containing the document from the government bureau.
He manages a chain of schools here and this information was sent to him last month.
What counts as 'an English-speaking country'?
@Alien
I don't think its rocket science is it, a country where English is an official language.
If they'll be picky about it, they'll say where English is used as a primary or de facto language, which is where Canadians and South Africans may encounter difficulty but I'd imagine they'd employ a degree of common sense.
That'll leave you with: (according to Wikipedia)
Antigua
America
Australia
Bahamas
Barbados
Belize
Cook Islands
Dominica
Ghana
Great Britain
Grenada
Guyana
Ireland
Jamaica
Kenya
Lesotho
Namibia
New Zealand
Nigeria
St Kitts and Nevis
St Vincent
Singapore
Trinidad
Uganda
and ..... the mighty Zimbabwe
I would ask the Yunnan Foreign Expert bureau what they require which is what the national foreign experts bureau requires them to do. I have been dealing with authentication of documents at my American Chinese consulate in California for many years, for my business. Mine requires a four step process in the USA for the consulate to authenticate each document and two visits. The translations are usually done in Kunming by FE bureau approved translation companies. Be prepared to pay service fees and document fees in both countries.
@ Napoleon. While I agree with your list of English speaking countries, unfortunately China does not agree with you. My understanding of what they class as native speaking countries is this:
UK & Ireland
USA
Australia
New Zealand
Canada
(Possibly South Africa but doubtful)
Good luck getting them to be sensible and recognising any others in issuing ESL work permits. Though of course some provinces have lower standards.
Brilliant! I'm sure the Chinese parents will be thrilled that the government has made it even more difficult for good teachers to work here. If the ads on GK are any indication, many schools are already desperate. And after teaching for eight years in three different countries, I can tell you that some of the best teachers I've known had no degree and some with degrees were crap.I don't expect the paper shufflers in Beijing to understand that of course, I'm just sayin'...
sure as eggs is eggs, chinese parents don't want a teacher with 'an accent' (read brown skin). racism? china? never.
