Can foreigners still teach in China?

Teaching English as a second language (ESL) is big business in China. Teachers and tourists from over the globe flock to this region because of the abundance of educational possibilities, breathtaking natural beauties, cutting-edge megacities, and ancient civilizations to explore.

The sheer number of individuals harmed by China's policy enforcement crackdowns is newsworthy, unlike in other countries. In 2019, China implemented new requirements for foreign language instructors in order to increase the quality of English Language Teaching (ELT) and to fight the estimated 260,000 unlicensed teachers in the nation.

Let's take a closer look at the policies themselves, starting with the most important points:

To begin with, all Chinese after-school programs must be registered as non-profits in order to get government funding and support.

Extracurricular courses may only be held at certain times. When it comes to weekdays and national holidays, there will be no lessons after 9pm, as well as no sessions on weekends.

Extracurricular tutoring for children as young as three has been outlawed.

Extracurricular tutoring courses may no longer use any texts or curricula that do not adhere to the national curriculum.

It is illegal for Chinese enterprises to employ foreign instructors who do not have permanent residence in China.

Many online education platforms have been forced to shut down as a consequence of these regulations, but do they have an impact on the availability of classrooms?

Not in the same style or to the same degree as online instruction, of course

Teachers and students alike will profit from the changes that are taking place, despite their seeming restriction. Many foreign teachers who have worked with children in China have noted how much time they spend studying and participating in extracurricular activities. Reforms are aimed at lowering the expense of schooling for parents and increasing the amount of free time for pupils. I think it's great that extra time is being given to students to go outdoors, play, or spend time with family and friends. China's lower class families will have more access to education if the expense of schooling is reduced.

Non-profit status should lead to a shift in education's emphasis away from profit and toward a more student-centered approach. Despite the fact that teaching pay may be lowered significantly, it is expected that the quality of teaching will increase since organizations will have to put education ahead of their business demands. Education institutions seeking government license to continue offering lessons in STEM, theater, and art in English as for-profit ventures must now do so. A number of these institutions have already done so.

A new challenge for educators will be to incorporate English lessons with other topics like as theatre and art, but this will also benefit students who prefer to learn via kinesthetic or visual means, giving them an alternative to the repetition that is so typical in Chinese English classrooms. Fluency and confidence in the use of language may be improved by allowing children to express themselves in a variety of ways and by using language in more real-world contexts.

In light of the new prohibition on pre-school tutoring, we should expect to see an increase in the number of teaching positions available in this sector. With this age group, you have the opportunity to make a lasting impression on your pupils while also providing them with the foundational skills they will need to succeed in their language learning endeavors.

In order to work as a classroom teacher in China, you must be a permanent resident of the country and hence immune from the country's employment limitations on foreign instructors.

You should not be put off by the freshly revealed policies, even if they seem onerous. Reforms have brought about favorable developments in China's ESL business, making today an ideal moment to teach in the country.

It is still feasible to work as an English teacher in China as long as you adhere to safety precautions and secure a position in advance of your arrival.