Seeking some words of wisdom....

[Jason B]

OK guys this is my story so far.  Things have been really going well between Wendy and I.  Today I have applied for a one year multi-entry tourist visa.  Will be picking this up on Friday.

My search for wisdom is in the following.  Through talking with Wendy we have decided that there is nothing keeping me here in Australia.  I have no children from my previous marriage and no other "loose ends" that might stop me from moving to China for a while except the obvious missing family etc.  I have been thinking of teaching English and conducting a TESOL course.  I have taught classes before so this will only be another string in the bow as it were.  Now I know that everyman and his dog that wants to move thinks that this would be the best way about gaining employment in China, so I am not asking for advice on how to proceed with this.  The question is do you know of any pitfalls about teaching that you may know of?  I inquired about changing my tourist visa to a work visa as required and was told all I had to do was pay any difference in costing if a future employer was unwilling to do that.  So the visa side of things is not an issue.

Financial situation:  I receive a pension of the Australian Government for life for having completed 20 years in the Navy.  This pension is valued at approx. AUD 1300 or CNY  7500 per month and is CPI indexed so it can only increase over time.  Do you guys that live in China feel that this would be enough income to live on and be able to save any income from employment to build a better life for Wendy and I.  Or if God forbid worst case scenario I am there by myself and starting the girl chasing game from scratch.

I have pretty much decided that this is the path that I want to follow.  As most of you guys are aware who would not do anything for their girl?  So please only post serious information as this is Wendy's and my future we are talking about here.

Thanks in advance for your wisdom and input.  Jason

[Paul Todd]

Hi Jason,

I'm not sure about being able to change your L visa to a Z visa in China, but the good news is that if your moving to Shenzen then you can easily cross into Hong Kong and get it done there. Most employers will fund this, I went through an agent and it cost me 900rmb I have their e-mail address if you need it. You employer will give you the paperwork to do this as without it you won't get one. If you have 7500rmb a month then I think that will cover your living expenses but it all depends on how much you are willing to spend on rent ,every thing else is cheap. Check out the Shenzen classified page of apartments to rent here:-
  http://classifieds.echinacities.com/shenzhen/6.html
 it should give you an idea of costs. If you work as well and even do some part time private tutoring you should have no problems at all putting some savings away. As your in Shenzen have you thought about a little Internet biz sourcing goods for Australian companies wanting to import from China. I'm doing that for UK companies and it's very lucrative and easy work all you need it an Internet connection. Best of luck to you

[Willy The Londoner]

Do not fret Jason

7500 is a good basis here.

I get about 15,000 plus in a month and we save at least 7000 a month but closer to 10000 some months.   Mind you Shenzhen is a more expensive place to live than Zhongshan and you will have more access to Western Food which you will not be able to resist and it is quite costly.

I live a Chinese live. My wife even saves squashed down empty water bottles - how traditional can that be!!!!!  No western food unless I have 'foreign' visitors and my rent is cheap.  Mind you the odd visit to Pizza Hut is great on special occasions here but you will have much more choice. (What have I been reduced to - Pizza Hut a treat!!!!!)

 I do not know about Australian work permits but very few of the Schools do actually apply for you.   I believe now that even the Brits cannot go to Hong Kong to get them but I may be wrong.
 
And you do have to be very careful with the schools as there are not many that abide to there contracts with you.  Just remember there are no employment laws like there is in most other countries.   So maybe private tutoring will be best for you - no qualifications just a bit of experience that you already have.

As you are on pension you can come here as retired as I did.  They retire at all ages in China so it will not be unsusual for someone younger than the normal retirement age retiring here.  Especially with 7500, that is middle class income.  My doctor friend with 18 years service does not quite get that amount a month yet!

And staying in China will be good for you - because despite the general feeling that Chinese women cannot wait to leave the country for a new life - that is in fact far from the truth.   And if things do not work out with the lady your with then you will be inundated with women if they think you want to live in China.  Well I was when I arrived a year ago and a week after my arrival I celebrated my 60th birthday!!!!
 
But the women were the icing on my birthday cake and I managed to 'blow out' a few candles between then and when I finally met my now wife.
 
Go for it, enjoy it and then you to will be Beyond the Dream in China.
 
Willy
 
 
 



 

[Jason B]

Thanks for the input so far guys.  Any info from anyone working in China does not have to be Shenzhen specific, this is just where I will be is also encouraged to contribute.  A lot of interesting avenues to explore.  I think I may have to wait until I get to Shenzhen and talk to people on the ground about jobs etc.  Very interesting about the flats available.  Some very competitive prices there.  But is like most other cities in the world, where there are suburbs or districts to avoid? 

Cheers Jason

[Paul Todd]

Hi Jason.

I'm living in Baoding and teaching at the local University. I went through the whole process a few months ago. Here's how it goes, well the paper work side of it anyway:-

1-The school will ask you to go to the local hospital and have a medical.
2- If you pass this then they will start the process of applying for your invitation to work. The amount of paperwork they have to do is huge. I mean insane.
3- They will want a resume and copies of any degree you may have along with teaching diploma's and recommendations from work colleges or friends, any teaching experience you have must be within 2 years or they discount it.
4-If all goes well you get 2 pieces of paper, one your formal invitation to work in China from the foreign labour department and the other a written invitation from the school. The schools never apply for your Z visa. They only apply for an invitation to work, nothing more. As an individual you can not do this yourself so if the school won't do it, it's not going to happen.  If both of the papers have Hong Kong as the designated visa office then it's no problem. Sometimes the school will get them to designate the "nearest" visa office out side mainland China. This gives you the option of going to Vietnam or Thailand. If the school do not apply for you it usually means they do not have the necessary. licence to employ foreign teachers and may try to say that teaching on an F [business visa ] is Ok . I believe they can get away with this if your employment contract has your job description as "adviser" and not teacher. It is better than working on an L visa but not much. The school may pay off the police if they come looking but now the police know it's easy money busting English teachers without the correct visa and if your in this group you are a target.
5-Get your Z visa which is only good for a single entry and valid for 30 days, any visa you may have before that is cancelled and hot foot it back to the school.
6-The school now have 30 days to get you a Foreign Experts Certificate if you don't have that within 30 days the fine is 500rmb a day for being in China without a valid visa! You pay this not the school.
7-Have another medical at a designated health center and get you heath certificate from them.
8-The rest is up to the school you can not do any of this yourself. It's the same as getting the paperwork for the two invitation letters.
9- Once you have your Foreign Experts Certificate which is valid for the length of your contract you can take this along to the local PSB an get a 6 month residence visa.

Remember English teachers are in demand here so you are in the driving seat not the employer. Check your contract carefully and if you do not like anything in it and they refuse to change it then walk away. There are plenty more jobs.

[Jason B]

Thanks for all of the info Paul.  I will be looking into things a lot when I am there next month and Wendy has to go to work during the day as I have extended my trip now and she is unable to take all of that time off.   So hopefully I can stick my fingers into a couple of pies and set something up for myself.

I really value all the input that is given so freely from other brothers on this forum.  Your interest in me succeeding nil your interest in helping another human being immeasurable.

Thank you all, and I will let you know how I am getting on in my search.

Cheers Jason

[ttwjr32]

one other thing i would mention on schools is that if they want you to start working before your get the
work visa then i would advise against that. some schools here in china want you to start and say they will
get the work visa and that 99 percent of the time doesnt happen so beware of that ruse. but the colleges
stay above board so i would look into those places when you arrive. and certainly dont pay any of the so
called recruiters who say they can get you a job. some can but most of them work with the schools that you
dont want to work at anyway  just a few more ideas