Legally, no. Practically, yes.

Actually, Myanmar is the most expensive country to get to, Thailand is quite cheap.

Don't worry about I2, they're not the best school in Kunming, on paper good salary but they will make you work a lot of office hours. I would say come here and find a job. There are plenty of jobs going here and it's much easier to judge the school during the interview.

I2 in Kunming is always looking for people. Secondly, new regulations. You need to get your police and academic certification authenticated through the Chinese embassy as well now. It will be easier to do that before you leave UK.

I2 in Kunming is always looking for people. Secondly, new regulations. You need to get your police and academic certification authenticated through the Chinese embassy as well now. It will be easier to do that before you leave UK.

Does anyone know how long I would have to leave China for if I got accepted for a job with authenticated documents?

I could handle a month but me and my partner would have to cancel this trip if it was any longer.

Thank you for all the help so far!

Does anyone know how long I would have to leave China for if I got accepted for a job with authenticated documents?

I could handle a month but me and my partner would have to cancel this trip if it was any longer.

Thank you for all the help so far!

It just needs a border run. Most commonly to Chaing Mai, Thailand or Hong Kong. Note, Bangkok didn't used to do it.

You could come here but you will need to provide the degree and police check certificate within 3 months of them being authenticated by the Chinese consulate of your home nation.

That would give you a small window. If you did find a teaching job, the school would apply for a work permit via the internet. This may take up to a month. It is this stage that you would need to show the authentication stamps so you would have to complete this step within 3 months.

While they are applying for the work permit, you can, and should, be in China just incase you have to do any further requirements or go to the ministry in person for any reason.

Prior to this step you will also need a medical check. Its best to get this done while in China as the regulations on what they need in regards to stamps and signatures are pretty stringent, so best do this once you arrive, rather than abroad. You will also only be able to get this in one of two hospitals in Kunming, so do your research before you get something that isn't much use in the visa process.

Once you have the work permit you will then have to leave China to apply for the work visa. This can be done in your home country, or depending on your nationality, a few, but not all Chinese embassies around the world. I know Hong Kong, Seoul, Bangkok can manage this.

The work visa can be processed within 3 to 5 working days and even quicker if you go through an agent or pay a rush fee.

Then when you return you can begin work and the school will arrange your work visa to be changed into a one year residence permit or maybe, depending on when you do this, even a Chinese ID card.

Short answer to the question is yes, you can come and look for work. Technically you cannot work until you have left China and came back with the work visa, but in order to get that you may come and find work on the ground first.

Because of the work permit and degree authentication requirements introduced in May for first time applicants, this gives you a three month window from when you have these in hand.

Of course there is nothing stopping you from getting a job offer and then applying for those documents via post, providing the school is willing to wait for you.

In regards to two years work experience, this is just your CV translated into Chinese. It will be deduced that you have the required experience from that. You may want to get your CV translated when you arrive, although most schools will do that for you.

My advice would be get a job offer first as the school will then cover the costs of authentication, trips abroad to get your visa, medicals and translations which would be quite expensive if you were to take it all upon yourself.

TEFL cert will help you get the job in the first place but is not a major part of the work permit process.

Hope that helps.

JTefl: Suggest you come, look around, find a job first; then you'll have to jump through all the hoops that have been mentioned above annoying, but do-able with a decent local employer, which, I suggest, you identify in person, possibly with some advice from foreign English teachers already here. Bring any & every paper you may have that might be asked for to prove your experience, academic qualifications, etc. Bureaucratic paperwork & short visa run to Hong Kong is not as bad as being hired by the wrong folks & then be stuck working for them for a year or whatever.

Wow thank you for that detailed response. I understand what you've mentioned and feel good about taking that route.

Thank you so much for that help! Hopefully will be in Kunming by August!