Towards the end of 2010 and throughout 2011, there were many changes in the policies and criteria for granting these visas. Before 2008, the rule of thumb was that a teacher wanting a TEFL job in China had to be able to answer ‘yes’ to at least two of the following three questions: Do you have a university degree? Do you have a teaching certificate? Do you have at least one year’s teaching experience? If a teacher had at least two of these three things under their belt, then the school could apply for visas.
However, it gets more complex than this. China really is a country of relationships and it really is a matter of ‘who you know’. I have known teachers in China with no degree, certificate or experience, and yet their school was still able to apply for visas. But from the end of 2010 onwards, it has now become harder for schools to apply for visas for such teachers, regardless of how pally-pally they might be. Today, the number of cities where teachers can get a teaching job if they have no university degree is seriously diminishing. Within a few years, I would say that teachers without a degree can forget about coming here, which I think is a shame. Some of the best teachers I have personally ever come across had no degree. But this is the trend.
Other large changes have come in visa policies for younger and older teachers. A few years ago, there was no limit to how old teachers could be here. However, from the end of 2010 onwards, it started to come as a real shock to the over 60’s, as they started to be refused visas. As of February 2012, teachers working in the north of China and in the south of China need to be under 60 years old. In the east, the age is 55. It is possible for your employer to make a special application for renewal, but visa applications with new employers won’t be accepted. Similarly, if candidates are too young, then visa applications will not go through. Teachers should have at least two years of post-graduate working experience before schools can apply for a Z-visa. This means that if a person finishes university at the age of 21, then they won’t be able to apply for a visa until 24 months after their graduation date.
The final changes which started to happen during 2011 was that schools once again started asking teachers to come to China on tourist visas (L-visas) and then convert them locally at the PSB. This was fine pre-2008, but in the build-up to the Olympics, schools were completely banned from doing this. Now, schools across China are getting back to the old routine of asking teachers to come to China on tourist visas. Before coming to China in such a way, do make sure that the school offering you a job has a good reputation. Speak to current teachers, check the forums, do your homework. Many of the bad stories you hear about from teachers at bad schools could have been avoided if the teacher had done their research and carried out a little bit of due diligence before flying to China.
It may be worth mentioning that some cities and provinces are now asking for original documents of degree and teaching certificate for new Z-visa applications. Some cities are also asking for teachers to show criminal records checks and this idea may spread across China. In a nutshell, it is now much trickier to get TEFL positions in China than it used to be. Given the huge need of language teachers in China, making it harder than ever for good teachers to come here may need to be re-addressed in the future.
By Stuart Allen
RAY English Recruitment
Photo: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=2365
