How to get a Work Visa for China in 2022

There has been an update to COVID-19 The process of getting a work visa for China was never easy. Restrictions on COVID-19 restrictions haven't made things any easier for people who want to do things. China is now requiring all foreigners to show their Electronic Health Declaration QR code and vaccination certificate, as well as negative PCR and antibody tests, when they arrive. This is because of the current pandemic crisis. They will then have more tests done at the airport, and if everything is okay, they will be quarantined for 14 days. Some provinces say that quarantine must last 21 days or even longer for the most serious cases, but this is not always the case. If a visitor tests positive at any point, they are taken to a government facility where they are kept in a sealed area. All of this, of course, is if you have a valid visa to enter the country. Many Chinese embassies, visa processing centers, and consulates were closed for a while, but some have reopened in the last few weeks. We think there will be a lot of visa applications and long delays.

China has a lot of different visas, but only one that lets you work as a TEFL teacher: the Z-Class Visa. If you are going to China on a teaching contract, you can only work if you have a Z Visa. You can't work under any other visa type (e.g., tourist).

Rest assured that you won't have to do all of the work on your own: your future boss will do most of it. We won't lie to you: your first two weeks in the country will be crazy. You'll run from office to office, hand in documents, get medical tests, and so on. The best way to get good grades is to work with a good school like this one. Best schools in China will help you the most with your move.

The following is a general overview of the China visa

China visa options are very wide-ranging. There are visas for tourists, students, and even family members who want to visit their ESL-teaching relatives.

Tourist Visa L

To enjoy a short trip to China before you decide to work or live there, this is the best visa for you. If you get a tourist visa, it usually lasts for 30 days after you enter the country. You can usually extend it once, about a week before it expires. If you fall in love with China and don't want to waste time, you can change your tourist visa into a Z visa while you're there. However, this option is very painful and may not be worth it, to be honest. It's important to remember that you can't teach English on this visa.

Student Visa X

To get a short-term or long-term student visa, you must go to a school or university that has been approved. Because this visa can't be turned into a teaching visa, it's not like a tourist visa at all. Also, you can't teach English or any other subject on this visa.

Business Visa M

This visa is only for business trips to China. It is for people who are looking for factories, meeting clients, or putting together contracts. You'll need a letter of invitation from your Chinese business contacts in order to get this visa. This visa can't be changed once you're in the country. On this visa, you can't also teach English.

Private Visit Visa S

As soon as you start working, your spouse or close family member (parent, child under 18 years old, or parents-in-law) will need this visa to come visit. It's possible to stay for more than 180 days with the S1 and for less than 180 days with the S2. You can't teach English on this visa.

Qualifications for a teaching visa in China

If you want to work in China, you need a Z Visa. This is the only legal way to teach English there. Getting this now takes three steps: First, you need to get a Chinese Work Permit, then you need to get a PU letter*, and then you can apply for a visa.

First, make sure you get your job lined up. Then, go back to step 1.

Then, to get a Z Visa, you must:

Make sure you're between the ages of 18 and 55. If you're older than 55 and find a job, you can make an exception.

Any person who has a Bachelor's degree of any kind should be able to do jobs like this (does not need to be English or teaching-specific)

Have a certificate from TEFL.

Have at least 100 hours of real-life teaching experience (in Tier 1 cities like Shanghai and Beijing, the minimum requirement is 120hr)