Teacher Jobs In China

Many foreigners are looking for Teacher Jobs In China, and if you are teaching English in China for the first time, I would caution you to choose your first school and teaching position carefully as there are pitfalls that await the relatively naive.

Z-Visa must be obtained

The hiring of foreign teachers in China is managed by the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs (SAFEA), whose standards are constantly increasing in stringency. . In order to legally enter China and earn income by teaching, you must enter with a Z visa. Only schools licensed by SAFEA can apply for a letter of invitation and foreign expert work certificate, which you can then submit with your passport. Apply to the Chinese embassy or consulate in the teacher's country of origin for an entry work visa. Then work with the employer to convert the work visa into a five-year temporary residence permit.

Foreign education specialists should hold a minimum of a bachelor's degree and at least two years of work experience. The provision uses the Chinese character "shall" instead of "must". As a result, over the years, provinces have been very "flexible" in their interpretation of the minimum educational requirements. The cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen are the most stringent, while other cities tend to hire teachers with lower requirements, although in cities that are not In the case of necessities, native English-speaking teachers are generally at a great advantage.

Possession of qualifications

Most universities in China insist on at least a bachelor's degree (many prefer teachers with a master's degree), while most private English schools take whatever they can get, although TEFL certificates and bachelor's degrees are progressively more desirable and often improve earning power.

Types of schools to choose

The first decision you need to make is what type of school you want to teach in. In China, teaching positions fall into the following main categories.

Primary and secondary schools (both public and private)

Three-year colleges and four-year universities (public and private)

Private English schools (all ages)

In the three international cities of Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, you can also find several large companies offering their own in-house English training programs that also require experienced foreign teachers.

Who should consider to find Teacher Jobs In China

Those who are young and seeking some adventure before returning to their home country.

Those who are ready to retire, who already have a meaningful and successful career in China, have some savings, have no significant family ties or obligations, and are looking to stretch their pensions by spending the money earned by Westerners in a country where the cost of living is still relatively low.

Foreign teachers who deliberately pursue teaching English as a career, such teachers usually have advanced degrees in education or TEFL, end up working as directors of learning in joint ventures, and usually even open their own schools at some point.

If you have at least a bachelor's degree (whether related to the field or not) and any type of teaching or training experience, you should put your The focus of the job search is on universities. For those who do not have a degree but have some university education, the focus of the job search is on lower ranked universities and universities that award Certificates and diplomas rather than degrees at second- and third-tier vocational and three-year colleges.