GS: So, can you tell us a bit about how you first got into English teaching?

JP: I first became an English teacher in China after finishing my degree at university. My first teaching post was meant to be just a break point between my undergraduate and graduate program while having the advantage of being a good opportunity for some travel abroad. However, I took a very keen liking to teaching English to Chinese students that prolonged this experience. Seeing a student progress whether at the age of 3 or 13 still gives me a sense of accomplishment unlike anything I’ve experienced before. Being able to provide the educational underpinnings and guidance for students so that in turn they can go one to have a brighter future and better career is an element of this job that interested me when I started and keeps me motivated today. After almost 3 years of teaching in China, I don’t see this career trajectory changing very much.

GS: Could you give some details about your dealings with Gold Star TEFL Recruitment?

JP: In my experience working as an English teacher in China, I’ve depended greatly on recruiters across many companies for finding posts for myself and for hiring new teachers when I happened to find myself in management positions at some schools. My experience with Gold Start TEFL Recruitment primarily dealt with finding a new teaching post for myself after spending years at a pervious school. Throughout this process, Gold Star was very professional and helpful with setting up interviews and giving many options of schools to pick from.

One of the aspects of Gold Start that I believe puts them a bit above the other recruitment companies I’ve worked with is that they are very detailed and are great at following up after interviews or contact with other schools. During my transitioning process between schools, Gold Star provided structured follow-ups and asked me for any details that would help match my experience with the correct school.

GS: What advice do you have for people about the recruitment and interview process when looking for jobs teaching in China?

JP: All the advice I have for the recruitment process is very simple. Your recruiter’s job is to help match you with the best school that fits your experience and expectations. So firstly, I suggest sitting down and making sure you know what you want and what kind of school do you see yourself in? If you have a clear vision for the position and school you want, that makes the recruiter’s job that much easier. There are so many opportunities for teachers in China that there shouldn’t be too much of an issue finding a school that is the correct fit for everyone. Communicating experience and expectations clearly is the key for developing a positive and efficient relationship between a teacher and a recruiter.

Interviews are simple as well. Be yourself and be prepared to present your abilities as a teacher. I suggest keeping a file with lesson plans for various ages of classes or difference topics. Teaching videos are good examples to keep on file that show how you manage a classroom and actual teach a lesson. However, these are sometimes difficult to attain because of proprietary materials and coursework some schools don’t want open to the public. If videos aren’t possible, be prepared to do demo classes in person at the school or online via one of the various video chat software. Online teaching demos can be tough for both the teacher and the interviewer so make sure to have something visual to present and be fairly active in the demo class.

GS: You are teaching in Guangzhou at the moment, can you tell us about your impressions of the city? What do you like most about living there?

JP: My experience in Guangzhou is quite a change from my previous city. After living in China for almost three years, I’ve grown accustomed to the environment of northern China. My previous work was done mainly in Inner Mongolia so moving to a place where bananas and mangos grow on trees right by the street is very different. Getting use to the humidity and rain has been an experience, but it is a lot better than dealing with the cold and snow up north.

Guangzhou is a much more international city. Seeing other foreigners on the streets and meeting new people is a common daily occurrence here. Eating at a lot of foreign restaurants that have food that I have missed from back home is a great experience. This international community is more diverse and exciting. I’ve enjoyed making new friends and meeting new people even in this short time. In my free time, I enjoy taking walks around my neighborhood and getting know the other local people in the area as well.
The food in Guangzhou has interesting spices and flavors that are different then the food in the north. We rarely ate seafood beside fish, but now we are enjoying many different types of tropical seafoods every week. The restaurants are very vibrant down here and are very warm and welcoming to foreigners. Other teachers in the area have had great recommendations for local places that I will for sure be checking out during my time here.

GS: Can you tell us about your favourite class at the moment?

JP: One of my 2nd grade classes is very fun and full of energy. My favorite classes to teach are when the traditional positions of the teacher and the students are kind of dropped for a few minutes and what is left is just a single group enjoying a topic and speaking with each other. For example, I was teaching animals and the various habitats that they live in with this class when we started discussing colder climates like Antarctica. We sat on that section of the class for almost 20 minutes just talking about why rabbits in Guangzhou and rabbits in Antarctica were different colors. Discussing ideas of snowy weather and camouflage (at a limited ability) in this 2nd grade class was a great experience
especially this early in the semester.

GS: Talk us through a typical day teaching English in China.

JP: One of the issues that I’ve been getting use to is teaching around 30 kids in one class. At my previous job class sizes were smaller. The biggest class was only ever around 16 students. So, a lot of my games and activities have needed to be adapted or changed. As well as, developing new games to keep students engaged in class. One of the positive things about the class size is the number of interactions the kids can have with each other has expanded exponentially from what I’ve previously been able to achieve. All the kids can have a partner for speaking activities and group work is more effective here as well. I’ve mostly been teaching the 2nd grade since coming to this school. These kids are full of energy and excited to speak English with their teachers. Speaking activities and games have been easy to in these classes because of the energy the kids have for speaking English.

GS: China is full of surprises and unexpected adventures, tell us about one you have had recently.

JP: I get lost a lot which I’m sure is something most other foreign teachers can relate too. Especially when moving and adapting to a different city. One night, I misjudged the battery on my scooter and was left a few kilometers away from my apartment right after the sun had gone down and was a bit turned around. My phone’s battery was almost dead, so I was only looking at maps intermediately to find my way back. However, I ran into some very friendly locals who helped me with my scooter and walked with me most of the way back to my apartment. My Chinese is pretty bad and their English wasn’t great either, but it ended up being a fun evening of conversation and a start of some new friendships.

This school is holding interviews for teachers now. Submit your resume to set up an interview today. 

The post Talking to Teachers – An Interview with Jerimiah Phillips appeared first on Teach English in China - Current TEFL / ESL Teaching Jobs.

No, training centers in China are not all being closed down! No, English teachers are not banned from teaching in China! Let’s look at the new education policy in a bit more detail and examine what the implications are for teachers and schools in China.

In July 2021 the ‘Opinions on Further Reducing the Burden of Homework and After-school Training for Students in Compulsory Education’, known as the “Double Reduction” or “720” policy was issued by the General Office of State Council in China. The purpose of the policy is to reduce the workload on Chinese students and to reduce the financial pressure on Chinese parents when it comes to educating their children.

What does this mean for the education industry in China and what impact will this have on English teachers in China and their schools? There has been a great deal of confusion and misinformation online around the implications, so this article will help to clarify the situation.

The main elements of the policy are as follows:

1 – Teachers living outside China will not be allowed to teach online classes.

It is important to note that this only applies to online teachers living outside China, who are teaching for online Chinese companies. Already, a number of large online teaching companies have announced they will be closing down in the coming months or pivoting their business model significantly, as they will be no longer be allowed to employ teachers living outside of China.

Teachers currently outside of China are still allowed to be legally hired by schools that intend to bring them in to China to teach at their schools. If you are looking to get a job with a school in China and to enter China from overseas to teach, that is still absolutely allowed and there are no plans to change that. You will need a PU letter from your school, which can be used to apply for a work visa to enter China. More details on that process here, an example of a school that is able to provide PU letters here and an interview with one of our teachers who has gone through that process here.

2 – After-school tutoring companies can not run weekend and school holiday classes for core subjects teaching the national curriculum (including English).

The good news is, for schools that have classes running Monday to Friday during day time, this will not affect them at all. We have a wide selection of teaching jobs at primary, middle and high schools, as well as universities, international and bilingual schools that are not affected by the new policies at all and continue to hire teachers. For current job opportunities with these schools, have a look at our Job Board.

For training centers and tutoring companies that run evening and weekend classes, the implications of the new policies still need to be clarified. As the new policies will be implemented by the local governments, there won’t be a single, nationwide policy that is consistent throughout China. Schools in cities throughout China are currently discussing with their local government how the policy applies to them and how they will have to adapt.

As a recruitment agency with over 12 years experience in the ESL market in China, Gold Star TEFL Recruitment has close contacts with hundreds of schools all over China. We have been communicating with various training centers that we partner with to get a better understanding of how it could affect them and what adjustments they may need to make. The most important area that needs to be clarified is regarding the curriculum being taught. Schools we have spoken to have either already or are in the process of adapting their curriculum, which then needs to gain approval from their local education bureau.

For their weekday evening classes, training centers can continue to run their usual curriculum. For weekend and summer and winter holiday courses, many training schools are adapting their curriculum to fall in line with the new guidelines. This means rather than focusing on national English curriculum exam preparation, they will be gearing the curriculum to teaching English through, for example, debating, journalism, drama, public speaking, story-telling, reading, science, craftwork, music, cooking, sports, brain development. These are just examples and of course, a school is unlikely to adapt all of these courses, but more likely will focus on just some of them. Many schools already have a varied curriculum incorporating some of these areas, so will not have much adapting to do. Some areas of China have announced there will be a ban on foreign textbooks for primary and middle school aged students, so schools might have to adapt the materials they use. It remains to be seen whether any additional qualifications might be required for teachers to be hired to teach the courses mentioned.

Quotes from training centers around China on their plans for the future

“For our company, there are no immediate changes. A lot of the changes are targeted towards company’s that do not have the proper licenses and those who have foreign or traded in foreign markets. The major change for us has been shifting some of our curriculum to follow the new policies. We do not see it having any impact on our schools, teachers, and hiring process for the time being.”
Training center in Shanghai

“The full policies will be implemented immediately in six or seven select Tier 1 cities and then a pilot city in each province as well. There is due to be a meeting in this city for all its training centers with provincial government officials where they will announce their implementation of the rules and which city/class of schools will follow the announcements on a trial basis. Basically, there are some minor changes affecting all the schools immediately with the other larger amendments being trialled elsewhere and all we can do is watch and wait for future developments.”
Training center in Shijiazhuang

“Because the new policy was recently promulgated, we have lots of details that have to be communicated with the government education office, including class schedule and subjects that foreign teachers can teach. We can continue to operate and we’re creating new course already. We have to submit the plan to education office and get the approval.”
Training center in Shenzhen

“Regarding core subjects, we are still working with the education commission for the proper interpretations as our lessons are not based on the national curriculum. Nonetheless, our team is working diligently to meet the high demands of the new regulations. The company has decided to grow with the times. We are implementing strategic plans to improve and expand our workforce. Our school is developing new products beyond the current products, which will require in-depth training and research. This will increase the need for teachers and leaders within the company. We will also continue with our current curriculum and develop and implement ways to improve it.”
Training center in Beijing

“The ruling around what can and cannot be taught hinges on the Highschool entrance exam. If there is a written section for the exam then that is considered a subject under the new legislation and no training at all is allowed if it is specifically for that subject. Not all areas are affected yet either. The pilot cities are Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Shenyang, Changzhi, Nantong, Zhenzhou and Weihai. Xi’an and Xiamen have also enacted the policy. I have heard the whole of Liaoning Province will also soon enact it. As for non-profit that does not really have any bearing on our day-to-day as it just means all profits generated must be reinvested in the business.”
Training center in Xiamen

“To answer your question about the weekend/holiday classes, it seems certain groups of students can and can’t take classes during these times, that is what we are working around at the moment but currently for us, business is as usual, with all our classes going forward just as they were a month ago. At the moment what is happening is that our schedule is currently undergoing changes, as students who don’t meet the requirements to take classes on the weekend will have to have their classes shifted to the week days.”
Training center in Hangzhou

It is worth mentioning that the new policies only apply to a select list of cities for now, as test cases. In a year things will be reviewed and suitable policies, based on how the testing went, will be rolled out to more cities in China. By then we will know more about the real-world effects of the policy and how schools plan to adapt.

3 – Ban on companies listed on foreign stock exchanges

Foreign companies will not be allowed to invest in companies engaged in tutoring or training and these companies will not be allowed to be listed on foreign stock exchanges. The companies will not be allowed to raise capital. We have already seen the stock price of listed online tutoring companies such as such as New Oriental Education and TAL Education Group plummet and the IPO of VIPKid was cancelled.

For privately owned companies in China, this policy won’t affect them.

4 – Fee capped and advertising regulations

Tutoring and training companies will have a limit put on how much they can charge for their services, to reduce the financial burden on parents of the students, who pay for the classes. There will also be guidelines implicated around how these companies can advertise, ensuring they are not making inaccurate claims.

There will definitely be some changes to the industry and it does seem like some schools will have to adjust their curriculum. But the education and training industry is definitely not going away. Wen Zhan Wang, a former senior staff member from the Ministry of Education spoke about his interpretation of the recent policies during the 2021 China Internet Education Conference. His key message is that private tutoring companies need to keep the faith and adapt. The government wants to regulate the tutoring industry not to shut it down.

We will continue to update this article as we get the more information and receive more feedback from the schools we work with.

For further reading, this report provides a good analysis of the policy.

If you are interested in teaching English in China, have a look through our Job Board, it is updated daily with new opportunities and submit your resume here.

The post How will the new education policies affect English teachers and schools in China? appeared first on Teach English in China - Current TEFL / ESL Teaching Jobs.

For any questions please get contact with your Gold Star recruiter, or contact us here or speak with the HR department at your school.

1) Get Criminal Background Check notarised and authenticated

Apply for a Criminal Background Check, also known as an Identity History Summary Check. This is an official statement stating that you do not have a criminal record. This document will be valid for the purpose of the China visa application for six months from its issue date.

There are two options: a) federal level check (FBI) b) state level check . Check with your school which is required, usually a federal level check if preferrable.

Procedure for criminal background check from the FBI:
NOTE: submitting your fingerprints electronically via the post office service is significantly quicker than submitting via mail:
-Visit the FBI page here for instructions
-Confirm your nearest post office which is authorised to submit your request by entering your zip code here. You may also choose an FBI-approved Channeler or if you are already in China, refer to the US embassy page.
-Submit your request here. IMPORTANT: check the box requesting a hard copy of the results
-They will email you your results within 24 hours and send the hard copy by mail within 7 days
-Get your Criminal Background Check document authenticated by the US Department of State. Make sure to inform them the document is intended for China.

Procedure for criminal background check from state level:
-Go to your home state website and request a criminal history check
-Get the document authenticated by the Secretary of State from the state where you live. You can see a list of the Secretary of State offices for each state at the bottom of this page and also on the Chinese embassy page here.
-Make sure to inform them the document is intended for China.

We have also heard Accurate Biometrics offers a very good service for getting your criminal background check.

2) Get degree diploma notarised and authenticated

1- Obtain from the registrar of the University an official true copy of your degree diploma. The registrar should then execute an affidavit attesting to the validity of the document before a notary public.
2- Take the document, with the notarial certificate to the State Notary Public Administrator (scroll down to bottom half of the page) for authentication. Make sure to inform them the document is intended for China. Check this website for samples for each state.
3- A diploma authenticated in some states must be further authenticated by the US Department of State. These states include Delaware, Idaho, Kentucky, Maryland, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Wyoming, Washington DC, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Texas, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Island.

Please see this guide for more details on the process.

Check with your school whether you need to get your TEFL certificate notarised and authenticated. In some cases, if you have sufficient teaching experience for example, you do not need a TEFL certificate for the work visa application.

The process is the same as for your degree diploma, it needs to be notarised in the state or country where it was issued.

4) Documents do NOT need to be authenticated by Chinese embassy anymore

-On 7th November 2023, China joined the Hague Convention, meaning that your documents do NOT need to be authenticated at the Chinese embassy anymore.

5) Medical Check Certificate

You may be required to provide this, however, you may not. Please check with your school to ask if it is required.
-Book an appointment with your local doctor
-Download and print this form and take it to the doctor’s with you
-You might not have to have the blood test, chest x-ray or ECC tests done, please check with your school
-Make sure the doctor writes ‘healthy’ and signs at the bottom of the form
-Doctor must stamp over your photo on the top right of the form and at the bottom of the form
-The health check certificate is valid for 6 months from date it was issued

6) Email notarized and authenticated documents to your school in China

The school will use the documents to process the Work Permit Notification letter that you need to apply for the work visa.

7) Apply for China ‘Z’ Work Visa at the Chinese embassy / consulate

-Visa applications should be made via http://cova.mfa.gov.cn. For questions email the embassy in DC at washington_visa@csm.mfa.gov.cn

-List of Chinese embassies and consulates and here in The US.  The embassy in Washington DC is now dealing with the all matters for the Consulate in Houston, as the Consulate in Houston is currently closed.

-Be sure to check for updated announcements from the Chinese embassy on procedures.

8) Book flight to China

9) Arrival at the airport

IMPORTANT: When you arrive at the airport you may need to provide the name, email address, phone number and address of a contact person from your school in China.

-Get to the airport at least 2 hours before your flight.

Things to bring:
-Passport
-All your original notarized documents (degree, TEFL, criminal background check)
-Phone with WeChat installed (recommended but not required)
-Name, phone number, email address and address of a contact person in China
-Download a VPN, if you wish, for use in China as they are hard to get once you arrive

Procedures may vary so be sure to check at each stage.

For teaching jobs in China please browse our Job Board.

The post Tick list for USA citizens applying for work visa and flying to China appeared first on Teach English in China - Current TEFL / ESL Teaching Jobs.

For any questions please get contact with your Gold Star recruiter, contact us here or speak with the HR department at your school.

Important note about your passport:
Your passport must have at least 1 year validity and 2 blank pages and have no damage such as creased pages or water damaged pages. If your passport does not meet these criteria your work visa could well be rejected, so please apply for a new passport.

1) Get required documents notarised and authenticated

Apply for a criminal background check at from a local police station in Canada or here. This is an official statement stating that you do not have a criminal record in the country that issued your passport. This document will be valid for the purpose of the China visa application for six months from its issue date.

-Get your degree certificate, TEFL certificate (in some cases required, check with your school) and criminal background check notarized and authenticated.

Process:
1- Get a high quality colour copies of your degree certificate and TEFL certificate notarised by a local public notary or lawyer.
2- Then get your degree certificate, TEFL certificate and criminal background check documents authenticated by the provincial authority responsible for authentication, as listed here:

Québec – Chambre des notaires de Québec

Ontario – Official Document Services

British Columbia – Order in Council Administrative Office

Alberta – Deputy Provincial Secretary’s Office

Saskatchewan – Ministry of Justice and Attorney General

Manitoba – Commissioner for Oaths/Notary Public

New Brunswick – Executive Council Office

Nova Scotia – Department of Justice

Prince Edward Island – Department of Justice and Public Safety

Newfoundland – Deputy Minister’s Office

Nunavut – Nunavut Court of Justice

Northwest Territories – Department of Justice

Yukon – The Commissioner of Yukon

List of all contact details for locations in Canada where to get documents authenticated.

Visa Agents

-Consider using a visa agent to assist with the process. They can offer free advice or take care of the entire process for a fee. Some suggested visa agents:

ALSC
CIBT Visas
China Visa Canada Service

Google China visa agents in your city for more options

Medical check certificate
You may be required to provide this, however, you may not. Please check with your school to ask if it is required.
-Book an appointment with your local doctor
-Download and print this form and take it to the doctor’s with you
-You might not have to have the blood test, chest x-ray or ECC tests done, please check with your school
-Make sure the doctor writes ‘healthy’ and signs at the bottom of the form
-Doctor must stamp over your photo on the top right of the form and at the bottom of the form
-The health check certificate is valid for 6 months from date it was issued

2) Documents do NOT need to be authenticated by Chinese embassy anymore

-On 11th January 2024, China joined the Hague Convention, meaning that your documents do NOT need to be authenticated at the Chinese embassy anymore.

3) Email notarized and authenticated documents to your school in China

They will then send you the Work Permit Notification letter that you need to apply for the work visa

4) Apply for your Chinese “Z” work visa from the visa center

– https://www.visaforchina.cn/globle/ – select your country and city

5) Book flight

6) Arrival at the airport

IMPORTANT: When you arrive at the airport you may need to provide the name, email address, phone number and address of a contact person from your school in China.

-Get to the airport at least 2 hours before your flight.

Things to bring:
-Passport
-All your original notarized documents (degree, TEFL, criminal background check)
-Phone with WeChat installed (recommended but not required)
-Name, phone number, email address and address of a contact person in China
-Download a VPN, if you wish, for use in China as they are hard to get once you arrive

Procedures may vary so be sure to check at each stage.

For teaching jobs in China please browse our Job Board.

The post Tick list for Canadian citizens applying for work visa and flying to China appeared first on Teach English in China - Current TEFL / ESL Teaching Jobs.

For any questions please get contact with your Gold Star recruiter, or contact us here or speak with the HR department at your school.

1) Get required documents notarised and authenticated

Apply for a Police Clearance Certificate. This is an official statement from a national or local government agency stating that you do not have a criminal record in the country that issued your passport. This document will be valid for the purpose of the China visa application for six months from its issue date. The application may be made at any SAPS office by taking a copy of your identity document or passport, completing the application form at the office and paying the prescribed fee. Application forms are available online on the SAPS website and at all police stations.

Tip when applying for your Police Clearance: include a cover letter to the police captain explaining that you need the document urgently for a work visa application for China and include a copy of your school contract. There is a good chance they will issue the Police Clearance certificate much faster.

-Get your degree certificate, TEFL certificate (in some cases required, check with your school) and police clearance certificate notarized and authenticated
Process:
1- Degree certificate can be certified at South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA)
2- TEFL certificate can be notarised at a law firm and apostilled at the High Court of South Africa
2- The degree, TEFL and police clearance certificate documents can then be legalised at the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO). Email is Legalisation@dirco.gov.za

IMPORTANT UPDATE: DIRCO is now allowing walk-in appointments for documents to be notarised on the same day! Much quicker than doing it online.

The DIRCO office address is: OR Tambo Building, 460 Soutpansberg Road, Rietondale, Pretoria, 0084, Gauteng, South Africa.

The DIRCO office in Pretoria is the only office that issues the DIRCO apostille stamp in South Africa. DIRCO only accept original documents.

-Consider using a visa agent to assist with the process. They can offer free advice or take care of the entire process for a fee. Some suggested visa agents:
Easy Apostille
Be Authentic
SVS Services
Doc Assist
Road2Asia
VisaRequest

Google ‘China visa agents in South Africa’ for more options.

Medical check certificate
You may be required to provide this, however, you may not. Please check with your school to ask if it is required.
-Book an appointment with your local doctor
-Download and print this form and take it to the doctor’s with you
-You do NOT have to have the blood test, chest x-ray or ECC tests done
-Make sure the doctor writes ‘healthy’ and signs at the bottom of the form
-Doctor must stamp over your photo on the top right of the form and at the bottom of the form
-The health check certificate is valid for 6 months from date it was issued

2) Documents do NOT need to be authenticated by Chinese embassy anymore

-On 7th November 2023, China joined the Hague Convention, meaning that your documents do NOT need to be authenticated at the Chinese embassy anymore.

3) Email notarized and authenticated documents to your school in China

The school will use the documents to process the Work Permit Notification letter that you need to apply for the work visa.

4) Apply for your Chinese “Z” work visa from the visa center

– https://www.visaforchina.cn/globle/ – select your country and city

5) Book flight

6) Arrival at the airport

IMPORTANT: When you arrive at the airport you may need to provide the name, email address, phone number and address of a contact person from your school in China.

-Get to the airport at least 2 hours before your flight.

Things to bring:
-Passport
-All your original notarized documents (degree, TEFL, criminal background check)
-Phone with WeChat installed (recommended but not required)
-Name, phone number, email address and address of a contact person in China
-Download a VPN, if you wish, for use in China as they are hard to get once you arrive

Procedures may vary so be sure to check at each stage.

For teaching jobs in China please browse our Job Board.

The post Tick list for South African citizens applying for work visa and flying to China appeared first on Teach English in China - Current TEFL / ESL Teaching Jobs.

For any questions please get contact with your Gold Star recruiter, or contact us here or speak with the HR department at your school.

The post Tick list for UK citizens applying for work visa and flying to China appeared first on Teach English in China - Current TEFL / ESL Teaching Jobs.

We are in close contact with hundreds of schools across China. Submit an application today and we will send you suitable teaching job options, based on your preferences, and assist you through the work visa application process.

Demand for teachers in China

The demand for English teachers in China is higher than ever with a lot of schools now actively recruiting for start dates throughout 2023. If you are interested in applying for teaching jobs in China, whether or not you are currently in China, please browse our Job Board and apply. You can also read articles from some of our teachers on our blog.

When will English teachers be allowed to enter China?

The China border has reopened. The work visa application process is back to pre-pandemic times, with no PU letters required anymore. From early 2023 there is no more quarantine required on arrival in China and all restrictions have been removed.

Flights to China

All flights and prices have returned to normal, as they were before the pandemic.

Work visa application process

In most cases, to secure a ‘Z’ work visa required for working in China, you need to:

– Bachelor’s degree – notarised by issuing body and and authenticated by Chinese embassy
– 120 hour TEFL certificate – notarised by issuing body and and authenticated by Chinese embassy
– Clean criminal background check – issued within 6 months – notarised by issuing body and and authenticated by Chinese embassy
– Medical check – issued within 6 months

We are in regular contact with various visa agents that can give useful advice and assist with the required steps for the visa application process. Please contact us if you would like more information on visa agents.

PCR COVID test no longer required

All requirements for COOVID testing to enter China have been removed.

At the Airport

Get to the airport at least 3 hours before your flight. Bring all your notarized documents (degree, TEFL, criminal background check) as they may be needed to get your residence permit in China.

Things to bring:
-Passport
-Boarding pass
-All your notarized documents (degree, TEFL, criminal background check) as they will be needed to get your residence permit in China
-Valid Chinese visa or residency permit
-Phone with WeChat installed – this is needed for processing on arrival
-Name, phone number and address of a contact person in China for the customs form

Quarantine for people flying in to China

As of early 2023, you are no longer required to quarantine on arrival in China.

The post Updates on China border reopening for ESL teachers appeared first on Teach English in China - Current TEFL / ESL Teaching Jobs.

China will Temporarily Close Border to Foreigners from Saturday, 28th March

In a measure to reduce the number of imported cases of COVID-19 China will temporarily not be allowing most foreigners in to the country, even those with existing work visas and resident permits. It is as yet unknown when the border will be reopened but we will be sure to update this article over the coming days, when we know more. For more details see these articles from The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, The Beijinger and Bloomberg.

Life in China Returning to Normal

China’s strict efforts of lockdown, social distancing and mask wearing across the country have worked. The numbers of new cases in each city since late February have been zero or close to zero. On 19^th March China announced zero new locally transmitted cases of the coronavirus across the entire country. Cities are returning to normal with people returning to work and schools in multiple provinces announcing their reopening for late March and early April, with precautions still being taken with temperature readings and mask wearing. Read more about this here  and here. Read an article from one of our teachers in Chengdu here.

Quarantine for People Flying in to China

China is now focusing on screening and quarantining people entering the country for 14 days, to ensure the country remains safe and prevent a second wave of infections. 22^nd March saw 13 new cases of COVID-19 in Beijing, all flying in from overseas. People flying in to China to begin their English teaching jobs should be aware of the procedures in place, so they can know what to expect on arrival.

Procedures for quarantine

The exact procedures for quarantine vary slightly from city to city:

Guangzhou
Passengers who have visited high-risk countries will have to undergo a 14 day quarantine at home or at designated places. More details on the procedure when flying in to Guangzhou, in the south of China, are given here.

Shanghai
Starting from March 17, passengers who have lived or traveled in high-risk countries in the 14 days prior to their arrival in Shanghai airport will be taken to for a health check and may be required to be quarantined in designed government provided facilities. Please see this article for the procedure when arriving at Shanghai airport.

Here’s an article from someone who went through the quarantine in Shanghai.

Here’s an article about a family that underwent home quarantine.

Beijing
Starting 22^nd March all flights to Beijing will be rerouted to one of 12 Chinese cities prior to landing in Beijing. Passengers will go through a quarantine inspection (health check) and customs clearance. Passengers who pass the health inspection can fly on to Beijing on the original flight. Passengers who need to complete 14 days of quarantine will be able to do so in the city they were rerouted to. This article and this one include more details on the process.

Quarantine Costs

The Chinese government covers the cost of the COVID-19 testing. However the cost of  quarantine hotel / facility and food is not covered. Typically the cost is around 350 RMB per day (approx. 50 USD). We have spoken to schools around China and some of them are covering the cost of the entire quarantine period including food. Please check with your school on whether or not they will cover the cost for you.

Schools in China Announcements on Quarantine

“Our onboarding team is working to make sure they have at least precise details before you can get on a flight. For now, there are two things we can say for sure.  The first is that the school will be covering the cost of the quarantine for you. The second is that we will be coordinating the arrival times of our new incoming employees so that we can work to make it as convenient for you as possible.”
School in Beijing

“Candidates that do not need to be quarantined by the government will do the self quarantine at the dorms. If an individual needs to be quarantined by the government we will go ahead and cover the costs”
School in Shanghai

A number of schools we spoke to have confirmed that they will run teacher training / orientation sessions while the teacher is in quarantine. That way, the teacher’s salary will be paid starting from the training in quarantine. Some will also have teachers begin teaching online during the quarantine. This may not be the case with all schools, so please confirm directly with your school.

China is now a very safe place to live and work. COVID-19 numbers are down to nearly zero. People entering the country from badly affected countries are being quarantined to help keep everyone else safe. Businesses and schools are set up with strict protocols to ensure safety, including temperature checks, mask wearing, social distancing. People aren’t taking any risks.

The post Quarantine Procedures for ESL Teachers Entering China appeared first on Teach English in China - Current TEFL / ESL Teaching Jobs.

Last updated: 17th August 2021

COVID-19 cases under control in China

The number of new cases of the coronavirus reported across China since March 2020 has been extremely low, as China’s strict measures to contain the virus in early 2020 have paid off.

Source: https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/china

Schools across China re-opened in May & June 2020

Life in China has returned to normal with schools, businesses and shops all open, albeit with safety measures in place for some locations, such as mask wearing and social distancing. Public schools, kindergartens and private language schools in provinces all over China have been open for face to face classes for over a year now.

On 12th March 2020 the Ministry of Education in China released their ‘Guidelines on COVID-19 Prevention and Control’ for kindergartens, primary, middle, and high schools, as well as higher education institutes. The guidelines contain basic information about COVID-19, steps schools must take to prepare for reopening, and regulations once students return to campus.

Schools are required to take various measures to ensure the entire school and classrooms are kept disinfected and safe for teachers and students:

The Health App in China

China is making use of a health app which works on a 3 colour coded system. A green code means you are symptom free and are therefore allowed to travel freely, take public transport, visit restaurants, hotels and apartment blocks. You simply scan a QR code to demonstrate your green health status. A yellow code means you have had contact with an infected person but haven’t yet completed your quarantine period. A red code means that you have the coronavirus, or have symptoms such as a fever and are awaiting your test result. Read an article from one of our teachers, Joel about his experience using the health app in Chengdu here.

China border reopening

China has reopened the border, although with restrictions, and are issuing “PU letters” and work visas for teachers to enter the country. Teachers with expired residence permits can also re-enter China. Teachers who have received a Chinese made vaccine do not need a PU letter in order to apply for a work visa. For the latest updates on the current status of the China border and how English teachers can re-enter, please see this article. One of our teachers, Altine wrote an article about moving from Canada to Shenzhen in China to teach for an international school here.

Q: Are schools in China still hiring?
A: Yes, demand for English teachers in China is higher than ever. As schools across China have been open for some time now, they continue to recruit teachers. For teachers already in China the start date can be as soon as a few weeks. For teachers outside of China, a lot of schools are holding interviews for various start dates throughout 2021. The work visa application process for China can take 2 to 3 months to process, so you are encouraged to interview with schools in China now and once you have accepted a job, you can begin getting the work visa documents ready.

Q: What if I have already accepted a job with a school in China but do not have a work visa yet?
A: You can continue preparing the required documents for the China work visa in your home country. If you need assistance with this, we are partnered with various visa agents around the world that can assist you with this process. Please contact us for visa advice. Once you have the required documents your school will apply for a Z work visa invitation letter.

Q: What if I am already in China and want to leave my current school and get a new job with another school in a different city?
A: If you are already in China and want to switch schools and transfer your work visa from one to the other, you will need:
– minimum 45 days validity on active residence permit (Z visa)
– work permit cancellation letter from previous employer (make sure your current school does not cancel your work permit though)
– to already be working in the education sector

Please submit an application here and we will send you suitable job options based on your preferences.

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