Just want to pass on an article I've came across this morning.

Three foreign models (presumably females) were fined 10k for working without proper visas, they are here in KM on a student visa. Information is sketchy, didn't mention how this fine will affect their visa status. I'm assuming they are allowed to stay in China until their visa is up for renewal, at which time it might become an issue depending on the bureaucratic winds at the time.

Just something to be aware of, don't know if this is a signal that they are taking a tougher stand or it's just an one-off thing. Didn't help that the promoters were very visibly promoting there will be foreign models (to gawk at) at the car show. Could be an face issue for the government in which they felt the pressure to respond, who knows. At any rate, the wild, wild west is ever so slowly being tamed so watch out, stay low.

Same article from two different news sites: (sorry, couldn't find an English version, Chinese only)
www.yn.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2015-12/21/c_134936275.htm

news.yninfo.com/yn/shxw/201512/t20151221_2382721.html

Theres always more behind the news than the eyes can see. Sometimes things tied with politics, sometimes with guanxi connections. Sometimes someone takes a step on wrong territory, and sometimes there are campaigns on certain phenomenas and so on.

Recently theres been a campaign against these car models, who were gradually becoming more of vulgar strip-tease cabaret hostesses promoting female bodyparts rather than promoting cars. Just a wild guess, those girls were stupid enough not to have read the news, follow the zeitgeist, and were maybe even without underwear. The fine is for stupidity.

maybe keep your 'wild guesses' to yourself Peter

Theres a point in the 'wild guess' Haali, that is, its not that much about law and employment, but about a campaign going on.

I say this to you as you didnt get it I assume.

"Models in sexy and barely-there costumes, common at many auto shows around the world, have been banned in Shanghai this year, part of a morality crackdown by President Xi Jinping."

www.usatoday.com/[...]

No excuse for not having your paperwork in order.

I can not understand the people who come from probably quite wealthy nations to work under the radar in China, living day to day getting paid a few shackles per hour.

Obviously a breed to themselves.

Without knowing the exact circumstance, "stupid" is a bit harsh. It is difficult enough for locals to determine the prevaling poltical winds let alone a foreigner. If one were to strictly follow every single law in China, I wouldn't know how to function. I've probably violated over 20 Even before I left the house.

And I don't even want to know how underwear comes into this conversation.

@Napoleon: perhaps it's because some people have interests that are more important to them than higher pay.

@ Alien
Modeling cars?

We're not taking some Medicenes Sans Frontieres surgeon who has had to rush out on the next flight to perform a heart transplant on an orphan here. It's a couple of bints poncing up and down in their underwear in front of a Rolls Royce.

I think the incident is exactly about visa laws and employment more than sexy race car models, which are an issue but not the real issue here. Kunming is slow to get on the radar in these matters but I doubt it will remain off of it. Since 2013 visa regulations either became tougher or rules and laws that were already in place begun to be enforced more. You just do not want to get caught working without a z-visa, and that includes moonlighting and do these one day events. Since 2013 record numbers of foreigners have been jailed, fined, deported, barred from returning to China for a period of time from 3 to 10 years and are given a permanent immigration violation on their passport records that will prevent them from traveling anywhere else in the world. The net is full of this information and I would speculate that this will be only the beginning of things in Kunming. The ball has been rolling unabated in Beijing for a couple years and rather than slowing down like some people had hoped it has only gotten worse there, and other cities as well, and recently there have been some cases of schools raided in Chengdu. I just feel one day there will be a sweep of the many English language centers here.

I do not think the students in this case are stupid, and nor do I feel most people who have worked on L visas (or Fs and Ms) are stupid or criminal minded people. Some are of course. Some people with z-visas are stupid minded criminals as well. As for the people caught up in some of this they may have been told it is okay and that this is how it is done here in China and if anything happens we (the employer) will cover you. I still see ads everyday here on GoKunming looking for part time teachers or for foreigners to do some other work. In one case I saw an ad looking for two foreign girls to just stand in a jade store for like 40 hours a week or so. Of course there would be no z-visa available to a foreign of any nationality for a job like that in China. Sadly when these happen and a fellow laowai goes down you can see how tenuous the expat community is here, with people insulting the person and even gloating over their predicament. Such were some of the comments left about a 59 year old American lady in Shanxi province, who was arrested, fined 18,000 or so rmb and deported after two weeks in jail. She was told it was okay and all the papers would get sorted out and it is how things work here, so relax. I felt bad for her and the comments made me feel worse.

I actually recently retired, so to speak, from teaching in China. I just got burned out after 11 years of it. I got a two year spousal visa and I just do not work. I am not rich. It is a strain. I do volunteer work at an animal sanctuary to fit in somewhere. But I am flowing the winds of change, and I would not suggest to anyone to be doing any work on anything other than a z-visa for the long term future. Odds are you will not be caught, but the good ol' days of a maximum 5000 rmb fine and a lecture and even assistance form the PSB in getting the proper visa are over. I hope things work out for the students myself and I think this is not going to be an isolated incident here in KM.

"Without knowing the exact circumstance, "stupid" is a bit harsh."

Well, maybe, but theres a certain amount of bitter comic in the thought, that 3 bimboes were sexying themselves up for hours for a car show, without knowing, or making effort to know, theres a major crackdown going on this particular phenomenon. Its been plenty in the news. These days when you gets tits in the face even during breakfast, theres this comic too, of an unexpected tit flashing fine, for the western tit queen.