Hi everyone!

I have been looking for a teaching job in Kunming for a while and everywhere I'm faced with the same problem: the school wants a face to face interview (and demo).

So I'm looking at options:

1. Come here on a tourist visa, do a bunch of interview, hope I get a job and the required papers before my visa expires (and the school is not a scam), and then make a quick trip to Hongkong. I checked, I can apply for a work visa there, it just costs like 1000RMB round-trip...

2. Apply for a language program (short-term) and get a student visa. Then do the interviews before my visa expires and it's Hongkong again. Is it true that you can work (a few hours) under the new student visa regulations?

3. Go with a program like "Homestay China", stay with a host family and then decide at the end of the year if I really want to get a job here or not. Can anybody confirm that this type of program is legal? It looks great but I want to make sure, I would be staying on a student visa then. Here is the link: homestaychina.org/

Any other idea?

Thanks,

Ansi

The new visas where you can work a few hours. If this is correct, those will be issued after new regs come in on Sept 1.

It is strange that they are asking for a demo if you are not here in KM. Usually you can do a demo over skype or if you are already teaching, take a short video of it and email to them.

If you are really having difficulties, i would suggest enrolling in Chinese study at a uni for one semester, (uni study is usually cheaper than private language school study) that would give you a chance to find a job and see if you like KM. You would have to do a visa run to HK or another country though.

The thing is market forces. If there are suitable people in theatre, then why pay for flights, and take a risk on getting a newbie who turns out to be unsuitable. If I was recruiting I would also go for the low hanging fruit first.

I totally get the school reasons to as for as much guarantees as they can. One explained to me that it is hard for them to get the work permits, they can only apply for a limited number per year and if they cancel too many (because the teacher is unsuitable), they might loose their agreement...

I'll wait until the end of the week because I'm still waiting for some schools to contact me but if I can't find anything, I'll go with the other options.

Any input on the homestay program? I'm a quite tempted. It would be great from a linguistic and cultural point of view, and of course much more affordable. I just want to make sure it's legit before I decide...

Thanks again!

another question: can anyone confirm it is possible (or at least it used to be) to come on a tourist visa, register at the university and then change the visa to a student visa without exiting the country?

Hi Ansileran,

I came on a tourist visa mid June and changed to a student visa mid July. So yeah it is still possible.
I don't stay in the dorms at my uni, but I know people who do. They pay 120 RMB a month, that is sharing with one other person.

I study Chinese at KUST. Kunming University of Science and Technology.

Sorry I don't know anyone past or present on the home stay programme. So can't advise.

Heard today that, from september 1st, it will not be possible to come with a tourist visa and then switch to a student visa.

@mPRin: if I decide to go to the university, this is probably where I'll stay. I thought 120 RMB was the price for a 4 persons room though... The 2 persons is 240 (or 280? can't remember)

@Philou: if this is true, then I must hurry because it would be a major hassle... The university doesn't seem to be aware of this, nor is the homestay program... Applying before September 1st might be a good idea...

Hi Ansileran,
First if I may say, I would look for a place in China that you like or think you would like. In my opinion Yunnan is great to live compared to other places in China. But not everyone may agree.

So if China is your place of interest, there is nor preperation to get you ready for it and I would do the leap over here. In the worst case if you don't like it you could always go back. If you plan to be a carer English teacher, than travelling being screwed over and going through some visa and cultural adventures is part of the business, at least in the beginning years.

If you look for a professional teaching job adding experience to your CV, I wouldn't recommend homestay for the lack of professional teaching. [According to what some peopel told me about it, so my input may not be accurate]. Plus to my knowledge they are somehat in a half-legal zone, so if you want to get all legal documents it's better to work for a school or an institute.

Option one: You find proper schools, international schools or go through headhunters or connections, usually those proper channels will use Skype interviews (if you offer to have an interview online, most HR guys will be happy to talk to you inline. plus the previously mentioned Video of your class worked for me in my last job).

Try to get a contract and documents handled before you leave France, if they send the proper papers you can already apply for the work visa in your home country.
The thing you have to be careful about is an agreement in China doesn't actually mean anything It could happen that they won't hire you last minute and to keep face not tell you until you arrive and even then just shut the door in your face.

PErsonally, I would go for option two

Option two: I would come to China on a tourist Visa [still one month Visa available in Hongkong with very little effort, plus flights from France should be cheaper than mainland cities anyway]. After arrival look for jobs. The new term is starting soon so most good positions are being taken as we speak.
anyway...
Once you got a job and if it's a good school and you have all the required documents you can apply for a Z-Visa, be aware though you need two years of work experience [pre July 1st requiremtns] disregarding what job [part time full time both valid].
So you got your job and let the HR guys tell you what to do to get the Visa.
There is an age limit too, I think you have to be at least 23 to get it and not older then 60 something. {Also here I am not sure about the exact age...a google run would bring clarity]

All in all it is not very hard as professional to get your Visa here in China and finding jobs is even easier. How easy it gets depends on how professional the employer is and how professional you are planning to be. Then, the sky is the limit.