Werk in China - Working in China

Sjina is volgens sommige maatstawwe die grootste ekonomie ter wêreld en groei steeds. Baie buitelanders is geïnteresseerd om in China te kom woon om werkservaring, taalvermoë, loopbaangeleenthede en kennis van 'n boeiende en komplekse kultuur op te doen. Vanaf 2018 het daar byna een miljoen buitelanders in China gewerk.

Hierdie artikel behandel werk in die vasteland van China. As u belangstel om in te werk Hongkong, Macau, of Taiwan, is die oorwegings anders as gevolg van aparte regstelsels en ander verskille.

Sien in die buiteland werk vir 'n meer algemene bespreking van geleenthede en oorwegings om oorsee te werk.

Visums en verblyfpermitte

Nota: Visumreëls en -regulasies in die Volksrepubliek China verander gereeld, selfs verskillende stede het verskillende regulasies en vereistes, en die reëls kan soms gebuig word as die werkgewer goeie kontak of invloed het. Die onderstaande inligting moet slegs as 'n rowwe algemene riglyn beskou word. Enige betroubare immigrasie-agentskap sal op hoogte wees van al die nuutste regulasies vir u Chinese visum.

(Inligting is laas opgedateer op Maart 2020)

Die meeste buitelandse burgers wat op die vasteland van China werk, moet 'n verblyfpermit. Dit is in werklikheid 'n eenmalige visum vir een jaar; 'n permithouer kan China verlaat en sonder probleme terugkeer.

Die veiligste manier om na 'n werk in China te kom, is om die land op 'n Z visum. Daar kan verwarring wees met die terme; 'n Paar jaar gelede was die Z-visum 'n eenjarige werkvisum, maar nou is die verblyfpermit die langtermynvisum en die Z is slegs 'n visum vir 30 dae, lank genoeg om die verblyfpermit te kry. Die Z-visum kan slegs buite die vasteland van China verkry word, en dit vereis 'n brief van die werkgewers om u paspoort te vergesel wanneer u aansoek doen. Oor die algemeen sal die werkgewer 'n getekende kontrak, 'n gesondheidsertifikaat (hoe meer amptelik seëls, hoe beter), 'n afskrif van u paspoortbesonderhede en 'n afskrif van u diploma aanvra. U sal moet hê ten minste 'n baccalaureusgraad om in aanmerking te kom vir 'n Z-visum, en u aansoek word outomaties van die hand gewys as u nie een het nie. As u ouer as 60 is en hulle vra dat hul provinsiale kantoor u aanvaar, kan hulle ook vereis dat u u eie gesondheidsversekering het.

Dit was gewoonlik algemeen dat mense in China alreeds na China gaan Hongkong of Macau om hul Z-visum aan te vra. Rondom die Olimpiese Spele in Beijing in 2008 het die reëls aansienlik verskerp; hulle het sedertdien sommige verslap, maar nie heeltemal nie. Dit geld ook vir die verkryging van Chinese visums in ander nabygeleë lande soos Viëtnam, Korea, Japan of Singapoer. Sommige mense is gesê dat hulle na hul land moet terugkeer om 'n Z-visum te kry. Ander het 'n Z-visum gekry Hongkong, mits die uitnodigingsdokument dit duidelik bepaal.

Sorg dat alles oor u papierwerk wettig gedoen word. Daar was 'n tyd toe die handhawing laks was en dit maklik was om onwettig in China te werk, of ten minste die gewilde wysheid. Daardie tyd is verby. Die Chinese regering verskerp visumbeperkings en bekamp onwettige indiensneming en gedrag. Ongelukkig het nie alle werkgewers die nuwe toedrag van sake ingehaal nie, en dit is dus u plig om seker te maak dat alles bo alles is. Doen u eie navorsing, en moenie ingee as die werkgewer u dring om iets te doen wat oneerlik of teen die reëls lyk nie.

Alternatiewe visums

Die verblyfpermit is nie die enigste manier om in China te woon of te werk nie. Ander visums wat in sommige gevalle van toepassing is, is:

• Die permanente verblyfkaart. Hiermee kan u China vrylik binnegaan en verlaat en sonder beperking werk. In teorie gee dit u die meeste dieselfde regte as 'n Chinese burger, dus dit is natuurlik moeilik om te verkry. U moet aan een van die volgende voorwaardes voldoen: vyf jaar getroud met 'n Chinese burger (of 'n afhanklike van 'n Chinese familielid), vier jaar diens in 'n senior pos in China, 'n aansienlike belegging vir drie jaar, of 'n belangrike ander " bydraes tot China ". U kans op goedkeuring is baie klein, selfs al voldoen u aan een of meer van die vereistes.
• 'N Meervoudige inskrywing talentvisum is beskikbaar vir hoogs gekwalifiseerde individue en is geldig vir vyf of tien jaar. Die gade en kinders van die aansoeker kan relatiewe visums kry. Hierdeur kan u tot 180 dae op 'n slag bly.
• Burgers van Hongkong en Macau wat geldig is Tuis-retoerpermit (回乡证) kan vir die duur van hul geldigheid onbepaald op die vasteland van China woon en werk. Permanente inwoners van Hongkong en Macau word steeds as buitelanders in die vasteland van China beskou en moet 'n verblyfpermit kry om op die vasteland te woon en werk.
• Burgers van Taiwan wat geldig is Taiwan Compatriot Pass (台胞 证) kan vir die duur van hul geldigheid onbepaald op die vasteland van China woon en werk.
• 'N F-visum is 'n sakevisum wat werk moontlik maak, soos die aanbied van opleidings- of konsultasiedienste aan 'n Chinese kliënt. Om die visum te bekom, is 'n formele uitnodiging van 'n Chinese maatskappy en heelwat ander papierwerk nodig. Die F-visum laat jou nie toe om in China betaal te word nie en is gewoonlik net een of drie maande op 'n slag goed (waarna u moet vertrek en weer na die vasteland van China moet gaan om die klok weer te begin).

Sommige ondernemings kan u vra om aan 'n toeristevisum of sakevisum (of in sekere gevalle a studentevisum of gesinsbesoekvisum), omdat dit kostes en moeite vir hulle bespaar, en minder gekwalifiseerde aansoekers moontlik nie in aanmerking kom vir werkvisums nie. Alhoewel dit algemeen is, is dit onwettig, en vanaf 2019 slaan die regering buitelanders onwettig toe. As u gevang word, kan moontlike strawwe gevangenisstraf, boetes, deportasie en die ergste van alles wees, 'n permanente etiket as 'n veroordeelde misdadiger en onwettige werker wat u kan verhinder om in die toekoms visums na China en ander lande te kry.

Vir familielede van 'n werkpermithouer, a afhanklike visum beskikbaar is en kan aansoek gedoen word buite China met die oorspronklike geboorte- en / of huweliksertifikate. Dit laat die afhanklike nie toe om te werk nie.

Die huwelik met 'n Chinese burger of die besit van 'n besigheid daar is op sigself voldoende om volledig in China te bly, alhoewel dit uiteindelik tot 'n permanente verblyfvisum kan lei. Intussen kwalifiseer die huwelik u vir visums vir familiebesoeke en kan 'n onderneming u besigheidsvisums kry, of, met meer koste en papierwerk, verblyfpermitte.

Verblyfpermitprosedure

In die meeste gevalle is 'n Chinese personeellid - in Engels, die Beampte van Buitelandse Sake (FAO), in Chinees die wai verbod (buitestanderbaas) - sal buitelandse werknemers lei deur die verblyfpermitproses en selfs baie daarvan vir hulle hanteer. Die werkgewer sal oor die algemeen die hele of die hele koste dek, alhoewel die besonderhede verskil; dit kan iets wees om voor te kom, maar die bedrae is nie groot nie. U gade en enige kinders wat saam met u gaan, benodig dalk 'n hoër bedrag vir hul verblyfpermit.

Om 'n verblyfpermit te kry, moet u met twee organisasies, die Staatsadministrasie vir buitelandse kundigesake (SAFEA), wat in Beijing gebaseer is, maar kantore regoor die land het, en die plaaslike Buro vir Openbare Veiligheid (PSB, die polisie).

SAFEA reik 'n sertifikaat van buitelandse kundiges (FEC) of 'n sertifikaat vir buitelandse onderwysers (FTC) uit, en die meeste buitelandse werkers het die een of die ander nodig, maar soms kan 'n ander sertifikaat uitgereik deur 'n provinsiale departement van arbeid gebruik word vir vaardige ambagte. In teorie is die FTC vir onderwysers in die laer- of hoërskool en die FEC vir tersiêre opleiding of kundiges in die industrie; in die praktyk lyk dit asof byna almal die FEC kry. In teorie benodig beide FEC en FTC minstens 'n baccalaureusgraad; dit word gewoonlik toegepas, maar nie altyd nie. Of dit nou hang, hang ten minste af van waar u is, hoe goed u werkgewer is en hoeveel moeite hulle wil doen. As u nie 'n graad het nie, help dit u as u ander sertifikate of diplomas het.

Sodra u 'n FEC of ekwivalent het, is dit roetine om die verblyfpermit te kry. Dit vereis 'n verskyning by die plaaslike PSB, registrasie van u woonadres by hulle, 'n klein fooi en 'n gesondheidsertifikaat. As u u gesondheidsertifikaat in u tuisland voltooi, moet u seker wees dat u afskrifte van die röntgenfoto's, laboratoriumverslae en ander masjiendokumente kry. Laat die vorm ook met die amptelike seël van die hospitaal stempel. Alhoewel u dit alles doen, sal u waarskynlik 'n ander persoon in China moet neem. Die fisiese is gewoonlik baie vinnig: EKG, bors x-straal, sonogram van die hart en maag, bloedtoets en urinekontrole. Die tyd van voltooiing en verskillende toetse kan egter afhang van die provinsie.

Oor die algemeen is u permit slegs geldig vir die stad waar dit uitgereik is, en slegs vir die maatskappy wat u gehelp het om aansoek te doen. Dit stel u nie in staat om in ander stede te werk of 'n deeltydse werk aan die kant te kry nie.

Verblyfpermitte moet wees vernuwe een keer per jaar, en as u dit doen, moet u u paspoort vir 'n paar dae by die PSB-kantoor agterlaat. As u binne China wil reis terwyl u paspoort by die PSB is, is dit 'n bietjie probleem, want as u binne China reis, is u paspoort nodig vir dinge soos om treinkaartjies te koop, instapvlugte en 'n besoek aan hotelle. Maar moenie bekommerd wees nie, as u u paspoort na die PSB bring, moet u 'n kwitansie met u naam, foto, inligting en 'n PSB-seël gee. U kan hierdie kwitansie gebruik om oral in China te identifiseer wat u normaalweg u paspoort benodig, ook vir binnelandse vlugte.

In sommige stede, maar nie in ander nie, moet u doen u polisie-registrasie weer elke keer as u weer die vasteland van China binnekom. Selfs waar dit nodig is, kan die regulasies wissel - in een stad moet u dalk weer by die polisiekantoor die naaste aan u woning registreer, terwyl ander in enige polisiekantoor dit sal doen. Kontak die plaaslike PSB as u werkgewer nie seker is nie.

Mense ouer as 60 het dikwels probleme om visums te kry vanweë hul ouderdom, en sommige werkadvertensies spesifiseer 'n ouderdomsgroep. Daar is teenstrydige berigte oor of dit SAFEA-beleid is, SAFEA-advies aan provinsiale departemente wat hul eie polisse opstel, of 'n kwessie van gesondheidsversekering. Daar is enkele uitsonderings, waaronder 'n paar mense in hul sewentigs wat nog wettig werk, maar daar is ook gevalle dat mense gevra word om te vertrek omdat hulle 60 of 65 geword het.

Oorwegings

Salaris en belasting

Salarisse vir algemene poste vir witboordjies is steeds laag in vergelyking met die Westerse vlakke, maar klim. Engelsonderwysers verdien gewoonlik tussen 8 000 en 25 000 ¥ per maand (2019), met betaling wat wissel na gelang van kwalifikasies (insluitend ervaring, grade, sertifikate, en afkomstig van 'n Engelssprekende land / moedertaalspreker), ligging, gewerkte ure, tipe skool, en onderhandeling. Buitelanders verdien gewoonlik meer as hul Chinese kollegas, maar die gaping word kleiner.

Let op die besonderhede, want 'n beduidende fraksie van u vergoeding kom dikwels in die vorm van bonusse, gratis behuising, 'n behuisingstoelaag of terugbetaling van vlugte. 'N Kontrakbonus is algemeen, maar kan weerhou word as u onbetaalde tyd geneem het om huis toe te gaan en familie te besoek.

Vir lae tot matige betaalvlakke is Chinese inkomstebelasting baie laag. Chinese salarisse word gewoonlik in RMB per maand aangehaal, en in die reeks van 5.000-20.000 ¥ is die maandelikse aftrekking van die betaling 'n paar honderd yuan, wat onbeduidend is in vergelyking met aftrekkings in 'n westerse land. In hierdie reeks is werkgewers verantwoordelik om die belasting te bereken en van u salaris af te trek; u hoef nie 'n Chinese belastingopgawe in te dien nie.

Sodra die salaris hoër is as ¥ 30 000 per maand, is belasting aansienlik hoër. Sekere ondernemings sal kreatiewe boekhouding gebruik om dit te omseil (byvoorbeeld om vergoeding te struktureer as vergoeding).

Op uitvoerende betaalvlakke is inkomstebelasting baie hoër; die koers is 45% as u wettiglik 'n inwoner is en 'n salaris van meer as ¥ 100 000 per maand het ($ 180 000 VS per jaar teen die wisselkoers van middel 2016). Verskeie truuks, soos om 'n kleiner salaris, maar meer voordele te neem, of slegs 'n paar maande in China deur te bring, sodat u nie as inwoner geklassifiseer word nie, kan dit soms verminder. Werknemers van multinasionale ondernemings of gesamentlike ondernemings wat in China gepos word, gaan voort om hul salarisse te ontvang, en om tuis te belas, en kry slegs 'n klein lewensgeld in China.

In sommige gevalle sal addisionele staatsmaatskaplike versekeringsbydraes gevoeg word; wat wissel tussen stede.

As u vanaf 2019 of later ses jaar agtereenvolgens 'n inwoner van China is, kan u ook belas word met die inkomste wat u buite China verdien. (Hierdie reël is bedoel om te keer dat mense belasting ontduik deur gelyktydig in verskeie lande betaal te word.)

Daar is streng beheermaatreëls en beperkings op om munt uit China te skuif. Dit is waarskynlik moeilik om 'n groot hoeveelheid geld na u tuisland oor te plaas, en dit is moontlik nie op kort kennisgewing moontlik nie. Verskillende expats het verskillende voorkeurmetodes om geld uit die land te kry; almal is ongerieflik of duur, en omdat die reëls gereeld verander en inkonsekwent toegepas word, weet u nooit seker wat sal werk voordat u dit probeer nie. Dit kan vir buitelanders moeilik wees om groot hoeveelhede Chinese yuan in kontant te verruil in buitelandse valuta (hoewel dit vir Chinese burgers makliker is). Dit alles is nog 'n rede waarom dit voordelig kan wees om in Hongkong of Macau (of 'n bankrekening tuis) te betaal. Sommige expats stuur geld uit die vasteland van China deur dit eers deur Hong Kong te trek. U FAO of 'n Chinese bank kan u help om die reëls te verstaan.

Sommige ondernemings kan u aanmoedig om dit te doen belasting ontduik deur 'n gedeelte van u salaris uit die kontrak te laat en dit aan u in Hongkong, kontant of in 'n oorsese bankrekening te betaal. Hierdie tipe reëling is algemeen in China, aangesien die werknemer en die maatskappy geld bespaar op belasting en sosiale versekering. Dit is egter onwettig en stel jou in gevaar. As die maatskappy besluit om nie te betaal nie, het u geen regsweg as dit onder die tafel sou wees nie. Nie net dit nie, die Chinese regering beklemtoon belastingontduiking, veral as buitelandse burgers daarby betrokke is. Sorg dat al u salarisse en voordele in u kontrak gelys word en dat alle toepaslike belasting betaal word.

Gesondheid

Sien asseblief die hoofartikel vir 'n gedetailleerde bespreking oor gesondheidsorg op die vasteland van China.

U sal moet besluit tussen die verkryging van duur private gesondheidsdekking of vertroue op die openbare hospitaalstelsel. As vreemdeling word u oor die algemeen aangeraai om op private internasionale hospitale te vertrou, aangesien die standaard van behandeling en versorging in plaaslike Chinese openbare hospitale gewoonlik nie aan dié van ontwikkelde lande voldoen nie. As u naby die grens woon, oorweeg dit om behandeling in Hongkong of Taiwan, aangesien die standaard van behandeling en versorging ooreenstem met Westerse standaarde.

Baie maatskappye benodig 'n hospitaalbrief vir siekedae, wat kan beteken dat u 'n dag in 'n hospitaal moet wag met 'n nare griep om die hospitaalnota te kry. Deur privaat dekking sal u vinnig gesien word, maar teen 'n hoë premie. Probeer om 'n privaat dekking met u werkgewer te beding.

Ondersoek die vlak van lugbesoedeling in watter stede jy ook al oorweeg. Om blootgestel te word aan ongesonde vlakke van rookmis op 'n kort vakansie, is een ding, maar om dag in en dag uit daarmee saam te woon, is iets anders. Die lugbesoedeling van Beijing is die berugste, maar baie dele van China het vlakke van rook wat volgens internasionale standaarde as ongesond beskou word - lees en praat met 'n dokter voordat u 'n medium- of langtermynwerk aanvaar in 'n stad met beduidende lugbesoedeling. Die goeie nuus is dat die Chinese regering strenger wette vir die beskerming van die omgewing begin aanvaar, en dat die luggehalte in groot stede soos Beijing en Sjanghai aansienlik verbeter het, hoewel daar nog 'n lang pad is om te gaan. Basiese inligting kan gevind word by Smog en China # Smog, maar dit is hoofsaaklik gerig op korttermynreisigers, nie op expats nie.

Taaloorwegings

Leer ten minste sommige Mandaryns word sterk aanbeveel vir diegene wat in China wil werk. Alhoewel baie werksgeleenthede slegs Engels vereis en sommige Chinese mense Engels praat, sal u beslis baie situasies ondervind waar Mandaryns nuttig is. Op professionele vlak is verbindings baie belangrik in China, en dit is die moeite werd om ander professionele persone te ken; nie almal sal Engels praat nie.

Mandaryns is sedert die vyftigerjare die taal van onderwys en nasionale media en funksioneer as die lingua franca vir kommunikasie tussen verskillende taalgroepe oral in China. U kan verwag dat enige opgeleide Chinese persoon heeltemal vloeiend moet wees en dat die meeste ander minstens Mandaryns moet hê.

In sommige gebiede is die plaaslike dialek ook nuttig: Kantonees vir baie van Guangdong, Minnan in Suid-Fujian, die Wu dialekte in baie van Oos-China, en so aan. Etniese minderheidsgebiede het dikwels hul eie etniese tale wat soms nie verband hou met Chinees soos Uyghur, Mongools of Koreaans. In die meeste gevalle is Mandaryns voldoende om te kommunikeer, maar die aanleer van die plaaslike taal / dialek kan nuttig wees of selfs noodsaaklik om in sosiale kringe in te breek. Boonop, omdat so min buitelanders moeite doen, sal die plaaslike inwoners byna sekerlik 'n indruk op die kommunikasie in die plaaslike taal / dialek hê en kan u selfs voorkeurbehandeling in winkels en restaurante verdien.

In die ryk kusgebiede sal baie minder geskoolde werkers - fabriekswerkers, bediendes, kelnerinne, taxibestuurders, ensovoorts - migrante uit ander provinsies wees wat Mandaryns praat, maar nie die plaaslike taal nie. Sommige bestuurders en amptenare kan ook so wees.

Kultuur

Chinese sakekultuur lê sterk klem op die maak van verbindings (关系 guānxi), veral met diegene wat in magsposisies is. Geskenk gee is de rigueur in China, en dit is gebruiklik dat die Chinese hul vriende, familielede, kollegas en selfs base met oorvloedige geskenke oorlaai om hul verbintenisse te verbeter, veral as hulle van oorsese reise terugkeer. Alhoewel u waarskynlik sulke geskenke van Chinese vriende en kollegas sal ontvang, sal daar van u verwag word om die guns te vergeld, veral as u na die buiteland reis. Geld moet altyd diskreet gedoen word en moet gewoonlik in 'n rooi koevert geplaas word (红包 hóngbāo).

Die Chinese regering pak die praktyk aan om geskenke aan regeringsamptenare te gee om korrupsie die hoof te bied. Wees versigtig wanneer u enige vorm van geskenk aan 'n regeringsamptenaar verskaf, en oorweeg dit eerlikwaar om dit glad nie te doen nie, aangesien dit in die toekoms regsgevolge kan hê.

Wanneer u as onderwyser werk, kom dit gereeld voor dat ouers u met oorvloedige geskenke oorlaai met die verwagting dat hulle hul kinders in ruil daarvoor sal geniet. Daar is bekend dat kinders uit ryker gesinne duur Gucci- of Louis Vuitton-handsakke namens hul ouers aan hul skoolonderwysers oorhandig. Alhoewel die praktyk nie onwettig is nie, kan u dit as oneties beskou en weier om dit aanvaarbaar te aanvaar, sonder enige oortreding. Die regering beklemtoon hierdie praktyk in die groter stede soos Beijing en Sjanghai, maar dit floreer steeds in ander dele van China.

Die ongelukkige werklikheid in China is dat dit algemeen is dat werkgewers die reëls buig of die wet oortree. Dit stel u, die werknemer, in gevaar, veral omdat u nie so vertroud is met plaaslike wette en prosedures soos die maatskappy waarvoor u werk nie. Baie maatskappye sal u graag benut as hulle die kans het, daarom moet u dit doen kyk uit vir jouself: lees oor wette en vereistes, kyk of alles in die boek gedoen word en sorg dat u al die ooreengekome betaling en voordele ontvang. Bestudeer u kontrak deeglik voordat u dit onderteken, en as u op 'n hoër betaalvlak werk, moet 'n prokureur wat spesialiseer in die hulp van buitelandse werkers in China, die kontrak lees voordat u dit ook onderteken. As iets visagtig lyk, vra vir opheldering of loop weg.

In sommige opsigte is die onderskeid tussen 'n mens se persoonlike en professionele lewe nie so duidelik in China soos in die Weste nie. Dit is byvoorbeeld de rigueur vir Chinese mense om hul base en kollegas na belangrike lewensgebeurtenisse soos troues uit te nooi.

Rus kans

Die Chinese Nuwejaar en nasionale dag "Goue WeekVakansies is 'n weeklange openbare vakansiedag, waar baie arbeiders uit die werkersklas na hul dorpe terugkeer om tyd saam met hul gesin deur te bring en ander reis om besiens te neem; verwag dat alle vorme van vervoer en gewilde bestemmings gedurende hierdie periode propvol sal wees. Expats en ryker Chinese maak dikwels van hierdie vakansie gebruik om oorsese reise te maak.

Rondom sommige nasionale vakansiedae kan die werkweek of skoolweek herskik word, met studente of werknemers wat op 'n Saterdag of Sondag werk toe gaan om 'n vrydag in die week op te maak. Dit sluit in die twee Goue Weke, wat tegnies nasionale vakansiedae van drie dae is, met die omliggende naweke wat herrangskik is om sewe dae agtereenvolgens af te lê.

Vir die Chinese Nuwejaar is dit normaal dat sakeondernemings en skole meer as net die amptelike vakansiedag sluit - tien dae, twee of drie weke, of selfs 'n maand of meer, is nie ongehoord nie. In hierdie geval moet u betaal word vir die drie dae vakansiedag wat deur die regering opgedra word, maar u sal wel of nie die res van die vrye tyd betaal word nie, afhangende van u kontrak.

U kontrak bevat wel of nie betaalde jaarlikse verlof nie. As u Engels onderrig, kan daar selfs van u verwag word om op nasionale vakansiedae te werk, aangesien die vraag na private Engelse klasse veral hoog is as studente vrye tyd het. U kan dalk vergoed word vir hierdie dae met addisionele vakansiedae om later te gebruik. Sommige stede (insluitend Sjanghai en Shenzhen) vereis dat werkgewers 300% van hul normale lone aan werknemers moet betaal as hulle op 'n openbare vakansiedag moet werk, maar dit word nie streng toegepas nie. U werkgewer se verwagtinge en beleid moet natuurlik in u kontrak uiteengesit word.

'N Bykomende irritasie vir onderwysers is dat skole nie aan die begin van die skooljaar die datums vir al hul onderbrekings bepaal nie. In die besonder sal die datums van die onderbreking rondom die Chinese Nuwejaar eers baie laat wees, wat dit moeilik maak om kaartjies vir 'n reis te koop voordat die pryse styg.

Wat die naweke betref, het China sedert 1995 'n amptelike vyfdaagse werkweek (Maandag – Vrydag) en 'n tweedaagse naweek. In die praktyk word daar van sommige werkers verwag om ses dae per week (Maandag – Saterdag) te werk, en ander werk elke dag met slegs 'n paar dae af 'n jaar, afhangende van die bedryf. Die aantal ure per dag wissel ook; as 'n uiterste geval is China se tegnologie-industrie berug vir die uitmergelende "996" -rooster (09:00 tot 21:00, 6 dae per week). Onderwysers in Engels het dikwels 'n meer ongewone skema, wat van week tot week kan verander, om studente te akkommodeer wat na werk, na skool of naweke wil kom klasse neem. Ook onderwysers wat normaalweg 'n week van vyf dae werk, kan ook gevra word om 'n paar Saterdae of Sondae te werk om vakansies gedurende die week in te ruim.

Bestemmings

Die meeste stede en streke is tot u beskikking. Die groot uitsondering is Tibet, wat selfs 'n permit benodig vir besoeke en min ekonomiese geleenthede vir buitelanders het. U keuse van stad sal gelei word deur geleenthede in u veld, plaaslike taal, klimaat, pendel na werk en lewenskoste. Alhoewel die meeste buitelanders in die kusprovinsies gevestig is, wat geneig is om meer internasionale handel te doen en meer ontwikkel te wees, het die Chinese regering sedert die einde van die millennium middele gewy aan die ontwikkeling van die binnelandse provinsies, wat tot gevolg gehad het dat meer geleenthede beskikbaar was vir buitelanders in daardie gebiede.

• Sjanghai - die mees "internasionale" stad van China met die meeste buitelanders wat werk in onderwys, finansies, ingenieurswese en vele ander velde. Sjanghai word beskou as die hoogste lewenskoste. Vanaf die sensus van 2010 het Sjanghai 208.000 buitelandse inwoners gehad, ongeveer 'n derde van China se totaal; sommige hiervan was studente, maar baie werk.
• Ander groot stede naby Sjanghai - Suzhou, Hangzhou en Nanjing - bloei ook en het groot kontingente buitelandse werkers.
• Guangzhou & Shenzhen - Die nuwe kragstede in die suide produseer baie van die wêreld se elektronika. Ander stede in die Pearl River Delta (Dongguan, Foshan, Zhongshan, Zhuhai) is ook groot in die internasionale handel en het dus werkgeleenthede. Dit is gerieflik vir reise na Hongkong en Macau. Guangzhou is ook die tuiste van China se grootste Afrika-gemeenskap.
• Beijing aangesien die hoofstad van die beste onderriggeleenthede het, en baie buitelandse ondernemings verkies om hulself hier te baseer. Die nabygeleë stad van Tianjin dien as die hawestad van Beijing, en bied ook geleenthede vir diegene wat in die skeepsbedryf werk
• Qingdao is 'n belangrike hawestad in die noorde, bekend as die tuiste van Tsingtao-bier en as die mees leefbare stad in China aangewys.
• Dalian in die verre noorde is daar 'n gunstige belastingregime vir IT-ondernemings.
• Xiamen aan die suidkus het min swaar nywerheid, lae besoedeling en 'n lieflike klimaat. Dit is gewild onder die Taiwannese vanweë die feit dat dieselfde dialek daar gepraat word. Ook 'n kort veerbootrit vanaf die Taiwan-beheerde eiland van Kinmen
• Kunming is op 'n byna tropiese breedte, maar 2000 m hoogte; die "stad van die ewige lente". 'N Goeie basis om die berge en kulture van Yunnan Provinsie
• Chengdu en Chongqing is een van die vinnigste groeiende stede in die binnelandse dele van China, en is die tuiste van 'n groeiende gemeenskap van uitgewekenes. Chengdu is die hoofstad van Sichuan Provinsie en Chongqing het noue kulturele bande; albei stede is bekend vir pittige kos en warm, vogtige somers.
• Sanya in die suide van Hainan eiland is 'n belangrike plaaslike toerismebestemming, bekend vir sy tropiese klimaat, luukse oorde, strande en gholfbane, en bied ook gereeld die Miss World-skoonheidskompetisie aan. Verskeie geleenthede vir mense wat werk by geleentheidsbeplanning, bemarking en toerisme.

As u 'n posisie oorweeg, moet u seker maak dat u uitvind in watter deel van die stad dit is. Stede en munisipaliteite in die prefektuur is groot en bevat meestal groot voorstede en platteland. Dit is maklik om werk te aanvaar in 'n glansryke bestemming soos Sjanghai of Beijing, net om uit te vind dat u in 'n duister voorstad ver van die bekende stadsplek gaan werk. As u u Chinese wil beoefen en die Chinese kultuur op 'n meer outentieke manier wil leer ken, is 'n minder bekende voorstad natuurlik net wat u wil hê, maar dit is die moeite werd om te ondersoek waar u voor u sou woon. neem die werk. Sien Lys van Chinese provinsies en streke om u te oriënteer op die administratiewe struktuur van China, wat vir buitelanders verwarrend kan wees.

Salarisse is hoër in stedeliker en ontwikkelde gebiede: onderwysers is byvoorbeeld geneig om meer te verdien in die groot 'eerste' stede (Beijing, Guangzhou, Sjanghai en Shenzhen) as elders, en meer in distrikte in die middestad as in voorstede. Die lewenskoste is natuurlik ook baie hoër op hierdie plekke. Hou in gedagte dat vaste eiendomspryse in bogenoemde eerste-vlak stede net so duur is as in baie Westerse groot stede. As u doel is om soveel as moontlik geld te bespaar en u nie juis daaraan steur waar u dit doen nie, kan u die beste 'n buitengewone plek wees waar die koste laag is en die versoekings om te spandeer beperk word. .

As u heimwee het, is Westerse produkte gewoonlik net alhoewel baie duur beskikbaar in spesialis-supermarkte wat hoofsaaklik in die eerste stad voorkom. Dit is dikwels glad nie beskikbaar in stede met 'n laer vlak nie. Westerse kos in China is dikwels moeilik herkenbaar aan die hulp van uitgewekenes, en u moet dalk na Hongkong gaan om dit reg te kry. Wees veral versigtig as u coeliakie of ernstige allergieë het; die beskikbaarheid van geskikte diëte neem drasties af buite die eerstevlak-stede.

As u na China gaan met die doel om leer of oefen Mandaryns, oorweeg u bestemming noukeurig. U sal baie vinniger leer as u kollegas en mense op straat Mandaryns met mekaar praat. Dit beteken basies 'n noordelike stad (soos Beijing, Harbin, of Xi'an) of 'n stad met 'n groot aantal inwoners uit verskillende dele van die land (soos Sjanghai of Shenzhen). Wees bewus daarvan dat migrerende stede soos Shenzhen 'n verskeidenheid nie-standaard aksente sal hê, wat goed is om u luister op 'n meer gevorderde vlak te verbeter, maar dit kan moeiliker wees om u eie uitspraak te verbeter.

Internetsensuur

Internetsensuur word op groot skaal in China gebruik, en die meeste internasionaal gewilde sosiale media-webwerwe soos Facebook, Twitter, Instagram en YouTube word verbied in China, asook boodskapprogramme soos Whatsapp, Google en die meeste van die gepaardgaande dienste soos Gmail, en baie buitelandse nuus webwerwe. Daar bestaan ​​Chinese alternatiewe vir al hierdie, alhoewel dit op aparte stelsels werk, dus om kontak met vriende buite China te hou, sal u waarskynlik 'n Skynprivaatnetwerk of ander sagteware wil gebruik om die firewall te omseil. Sien China # Verbind vir meer besonderhede, en wees bewus daarvan dat VPN's nie altyd betroubaar is nie. Dit word nie geblokkeer in Hongkong, Taiwan of Macau nie, dus kan u kies om naby die grens te woon, sodat u toegang tot hierdie dienste kan kry in geval van 'n noodgeval waar u VPN nie beskikbaar is nie.

Bankdienste

China Guangfa Bank-tak in Shenzhen

Die verkryging van 'n Chinese bankrekening is handig vir langtermyn inwoners. Dit vereis 'n paspoort met 'n geldige visum en bewys van verblyf. As u nie 'n werksvisum het nie, wees versigtig — in die middel van 2018 het sommige buitelanders wat sake- of toeristevisums het, probleme gerapporteer om geld uit hul rekeninge te trek. Sommige banke benodig dalk ander dokumentasie, soos bewys van indiensneming of buitelandse belastingbetalerstatus, en sommige benodig ook 'n aanvanklike deposito van ongeveer 100 ¥. Bankpersoneel kan gewoonlik nie Engels praat nie, hoewel sommige takke van die groter banke in groot stede Engelssprekende personeel beskikbaar het.

U kan 'n bankboek ontvang waarin alle transaksies en saldo's aangeteken word, hoewel die meeste groot banke slegs kaartrekeninge sal verskaf. Afhangend van die bank, kan 'n PIN en / of ID benodig word vir onttrekkings by die toonbank.

China stel sekere beperkings op die internasionale oordrag van Chinese yuan uit die land. Die reëls verander gereeld, alhoewel dit meestal 'n beperking plaas op die bedrag wat u daagliks mag oordra. Die uitruil van Chinese yuan in buitelandse valuta word streng beheer, en dit is moontlik nie moontlik vir nie-Chinese burgers by banke nie (gaan eerder na 'n valuta-beurs). As u China verlaat en nie van plan is om terug te keer nie, moet u al die geld in kontant uit u rekening trek. As 'n nie-Chinese burger, sal u waarskynlik nie u bankkaart, WeChat, ens. Gebruik om aankope buite die vasteland van China te doen nie.

Banke hef gewoonlik 'n fooi (ongeveer 1%) vir die deposito en onttrekking van geld in 'n ander stad as waar u u rekening oopgemaak het.

In Shanghai, most of the smaller local banks have relations with each other allowing for no-fee interbank deposits for any amount and withdrawals over ¥3,000. Also, any Bank of Shanghai deposit-capable ATM can do deposits for any bank with a Shanghai-issued account.

The largest retail banks in China are the Bank of China (中国银行), China Construction Bank (中国建设银行), Agricultural Bank of China (中国农业银行) and Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (中国工商银行).

China Construction Bank offers Bank of America customers ATM-use without any fees to withdraw yuan. Bank of America now charges 3%, however.

Standard Chartered is expat-friendly, but has few branches outside the big cities. They offer unlimited interbank ATM withdrawals within the city the card was issued in as long as the amount drawn is over ¥2,000 each time and they also offer multiple foreign-currency investment products.

DBS has a minimum deposit requirement of ¥2,000.

Woori Bank has even fewer branches than Standard Chartered, but offers the Shanghai Tourist Card, which gives discounts at assorted restaurants and half-price tickets to various attractions, as a debit card. This is usually only available from local banks. They also offer unlimited free ATM withdrawals anywhere in China. As a South Korean bank they offer links to Korean bank accounts as well.

HSBC is another good international choice for expatriates, although branches are mostly found in the commercial centres of large cities. Customers who frequently spend time in Hong Kong will find this a quite good option.

If you are employed in China, you may not get a choice: many companies and schools deposit into only one bank, and therefore you must have an account with that bank to get paid.

If in a big city and later traveling to smaller ones, try signing up for an account with smaller banks like Woori Bank or Ping An Bank; these offer free inter-bank ATM withdrawals anywhere in China.

Electronic transfers

Just about every bank in the big cities offers electronic money transfers to another country. Service charges depend on the sending and receiving bank, the staff is sometimes ill-trained, and the process can take up to a week to clear. Alternatively, you may choose to look for a Chinese branch of a foreign or Hong Kong-based bank to do transfers. This is easier in the big cities, though.

It will be veel easier to do transfers if you have an dual-currency account with the Bank of China - opened at the branch from which you plan to get your money. Electronic transfers to dual currency accounts incur no or minimal fees although it will usually take about one week. Transfers to Chinese accounts from overseas also take from three to ten business days. All you need to start an account is your passport, visa and a small initial deposit (can be yuan) plus the new-account fee (¥10-20). If you open a foreign currency account or a dual currency account, be sure to check if you will be able to access it in another province or overseas. Alternatively, for visitors from the US, Wells Fargo offers a service called ExpressSend that allows someone to send money from the US and have it arrive at a China Agricultural Bank account on the same day.

Western Union has deals with China Agricultural Bank and with China Post so there are many Western Union signs around. This is what overseas Chinese sending money to relatives, or expats sending money out of China, generally use; it is generally easier and cheaper than the banks. A list of locations is available through Western Union's website. There may, however, be problems. Their system may be down or the employee you deal with may ask for silly things — for an overseas transfer, the recipient's passport and visa numbers, or for a within-China transfer, cash in US dollars. Just try another branch when experiencing difficulties.

Foreign ownership restrictons

China has strict laws on foreign ownership of local businesses and property, with foreigners largely restricted to owning minority stakes in these. As such, it is generally very difficult for foreigners to invest in Chinese businesses without a Chinese business partner.

Language teaching

Sien ook: Onderrig in Engels

Nota: As of 2019, the Chinese government is cracking down on foreigners working illegally in China, particularly English teachers. Illegal visa arrangements are widespread in the industry, and schools often mislead or coerce teachers, so you need to proactively make sure that everything about your visa is done properly. Get advice from someone you trust (nie your prospective employer) who is familiar with the Chinese legal system.

(Information last updated Nov 2019)

Teaching a language, most commonly English, is a very popular source of employment for foreigners. Daar is English-teaching jobs all over China.

The market for teachers of other languages is more limited. However most universities require all students majoring in a foreign language to study another language as well, so they all have to teach at least two. The most common combination is English and Japanese, but many universities will happily hire a qualified instructor for another major language whenever they find one. Also, there are specialised universities for foreign languages in major cities such as Beijing, Guangzhou, Xi'an, Dalian en Sjanghai which teach most major world languages. Guangzhou is establishing a reputation as a hub for so-called rare languages.

Back in the day (read: the early 2000s), any white foreigner with a pulse who spoke a bit of English could show up with possibly dubious credentials and get a job teaching English in China. Those days are over. Qualifications vary, but nowadays the legal requirements are relatively strict (and enforcement has stepped up, so going the illegal route is not a good idea). To get a work visa for English teaching, you need to:

• be a native English speaker (passport from US, UK, Canada, Ireland, Australia, or New Zealand. Other English-speaking countries such as Jamaica and South Africa seem to be considered on a case-by-case basis.)
• have at least a bachelor's degree
• have at least two years experience and/or a TEFL/CELTA certificate (unclear whether both of these are required or just one or the other)
• have no criminal record

If you want to go and do not already have good qualifications, get a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) certificate. It really helps.

Many schools will accept non-native English speakers, and indeed there are thousands of Russians, Ukrainians, Serbians, and so on teaching English in China. But you are very unlikely to get a legal work visa if you don't have a passport from an English-speaking country.

Various prejudices and stereotypes may also come into play; some schools prefer white people, especially blue-eyed blondes, in large part because they hope the "right" image will help their marketing. Overseas Chinese (even ones with English as their first language), Filipinos, Indians, Malaysians, American Blacks, and especially Africans all report some difficulties finding jobs, or getting lower offers. Members of all those groups are happily employed in other schools, and many are well-paid, but getting a job is easier if you fit the stereotype. Accent can also be an issue; almost any educated native speaker will be fine, though the general American and Canadian accents are generally given a slight preference over others, but if you sound like you are from rural Queensland, the hills of Virginia, or working-class Glasgow, then some employers will not want you.

Pay and conditions vary greatly depending on location, experience and qualifications. Free accommodation, provided by the institution, is common. Generally this means an apartment of your own, though some tight-fisted schools want teachers to share. Most jobs pay for all or part of an annual trip home. Teachers nearly always make enough to live well in China, though some have a problem in summer because many university or high school jobs pay for only the 10 months of the academic year. Foreign teachers generally earn much more than their Chinese colleagues, but the differences are gradually narrowing. A public college or university will often pay less than a private school, but will also require fewer teaching hours.

The demand for English teachers in kindergartens is huge; Chinese parents think learning English early will give their kids an advantage later on, and they are quite likely right. As a result, kindergartens generally pay better than other schools (even universities), and tend to be much more flexible about hiring non-native speakers.

It is often possible to teach private lessons on the side – in fact your students or their parents may ask about this incessantly - or to find part-time work at another school in addition to your main job. Make certain you understand your employer's policies on outside work as some are quite restrictive. The standard visa prohibits it entirely.

Finding a job

Websites listing English teaching jobs in China include AsiaTeaching, Education First, Sea Dragon. Sien ook Teaching English#Looking for work for more information and international websites.

Many English teachers in China choose to find work through an agent (中介 zhōngjiè), who will help you find a job, make sure things run smoothly, and might be able to help you with special issues like sending money to an overseas bank account instead of a bank account in China. The disadvantage is that the agent will take a fee, which can be in the ballpark of 15% of your salary. It is not uncommon to find a job through an agent, sign a six-month or one-year contract with them, and then, once the contract expires, sign a new contract directly with the employer to avoid paying the agent's fee.

Agents on the whole have a reputation for being unscrupulous and deceptive. They might lie to you about the job, applicable laws, and your visa, trick you into signing an unfair contract, or get you in serious trouble with illegal or bungled visa arrangements. In job postings, they don't always make clear that they're agents, so even if you're trying to apply to schools directly, you may still end up with an agent if you're not careful! Don't rely on your agent to look out for you—it's no skin off their back if you get deported, thrown in jail, or banned from China. You have to look out for yourself. (By the way, some people have a rather prejudiced idea that foreign agents working in China are more trustworthy than those from China. This is not so—dishonesty and manipulation have no nationality. You should be equally cautious regardless of where your agent is from.)

If you plan to work as a teacher in China, research baie carefully. You might get your dream job or a nightmare. Take great care in your selection of employer; broken contracts, pressure to work illegally or lie about your qualifications, and general unscrupulousness and dishonesty are common. Many employers take advantage of foreign teachers' unfamiliarity with the Chinese language, culture, and legal system. Ask to talk to current employees, and look up the company to see what people are saying about them online. As a rule, government schools give the best all-around deals and are known for following the rules when arranging visas—and if there is any dispute, you can appeal to the Foreign Experts Office of the provincial education ministry. If you can document your case and it is a valid one, they will take action. And it tends to be fast. Before filing an appeal, try to resolve the issue through direct discussion. If that fails, ask someone to function as a go-between—a Chinese if possible, but otherwise another expatriate will do. Only appeal as a last resort: as in other aspects of life everywhere, the threat of action is often more effective than action itself.

Before taking the job, make sure the company is legally registered. You can request their business license number and a scan of the business license, then verify the number online. If the company isn't legally registered, they won't be able to get you a work visa, at least not legally.

Read the job description and contract carefully. Pay attention to both the number of teaching hours and the total number of working hours. Make sure you're clear on whether you're expected to cover your own housing, utilities, transportation, flights, and so on. Ask to talk to current employees to see how the company treats them.

Visas for English teachers

There can be difficulties around Foreign Expert Certificates for teachers. Universities and other public institutions can easily get FECs for staff, but not all private schools can. Before they can even apply for certificates, they must be authorised to employ foreigners by SAFEA. Getting the authorization takes many months and a significant amount of money. They also have to comply with SAFEA standards such as providing housing, health insurance and annual airfare home for all staff. Large established schools have the permission, but many of the smaller ones don't want the expense. Without the FEC you cannot get a Residence Permit so all the teachers in such schools are working illegally.

In terms of work visas, schools range from completely reliable to crooks who leave foreigners stranded without a legitimate work visa after they arrive. Legally, foreign teachers are required to come on a Z visa and then apply for a residence permit. It is illegal to work with a tourist or business visa, but some schools want teachers to do that, and some even want teachers to foot the bill for "visa runs" to Hongkong to renew it. Some even lie to teachers about this when recruiting. Other schools or agents pull a trick where they get you a work visa for some other type of work like management or e-commerce (reportedly easier to obtain than a work visa for English teaching). This is illegal too—your paperwork has to match the job you're actually doing.

Getting a Z visa for an English teacher is a complicated, time-consuming, and potentially expensive process involving paperwork from many different offices. Your employer should help you through the process. The rules change frequently and depend on your nationality; your employer should have more specific and up-to-date information, but take this as a general indication of the kind of rigmarole you have to go through. First, you'll need to apply for a work permit, which requires the following documents: a physical examination form filled out by a physician, a teaching certificate, a passport-sized photo, an employment contract, a stamped letter from your previous employer, a copy of your passport, a work permit application form, a copy of your university diploma, and a criminal record background check. The last two documents must be notarized with an apostille and then certified at a Chinese embassy or consulate. Depending on your nationality, you may also need to provide proof of English language ability. Once you send all these documents to your employer, they can get you a work permit. Then you can go to a Chinese embassy or consulate and apply for a Z visa, for which you'll have to submit your work permit, passport, copies of any previous Chinese visas, a visa application form, and a visa fee. When you get the Z visa, you're still not done with the paperwork—the duration of stay on your visa will be listed as "000" (undetermined), with a note that you must apply for a residence permit within 30 days of arrival. Make sure you bring all the documents you used for your work permit application with you to China, because you'll need them to apply for your residence permit, which may also require another physical examination by a doctor in China.

Once you've obtained your residence permit, you can breathe a sigh of relief—now you can legally live and work in China, and enter and exit the country at will. At least until your residence permit expires in a year, at which point you'll have to renew it if you want to continue working in China. Fortunately, the renewal process is relatively painless—since you've already obtained most of the documents you need, you just have to go to a few of the same offices in the city where you're working in order to apply to a stay for another year. Your employer should guide you through the process, and you don't have to return to your home country to do it.

Given all the hassle involved in getting a work visa, many teachers instead work illegally on tourist or business visas. Some employers encourage or demand this, because it's cheaper and less of a headache for them. Some employees opt for it because they're ineligible for a work visa (for instance, non-native English speakers and teachers without a bachelor's degree). This is a lot easier than getting a Z visa, but it requires a visa run to a place like Hongkong, Macau, Vietnam, of Mongolië, typically every three months, so you can leave and reenter mainland China and get a new stamp in your passport. Working illegally carries a risk of being found out by the authorities and being arrested and deported as a convicted felon. The other workaround, getting a work visa for a different type of job, may allow you to open a bank account, but it is still illegal and puts you at risk of fines, detention, and deportation. Some of the employers who want you to come illegally on the wrong type of visa are stringing you along; they do not have SAFEA permission to hire foreigners legally and are trying to wriggle around that. The Chinese government is stepping up enforcement of immigration laws, so as a foreigner, you are strongly advised not to work illegally in China.

Some employers ask teachers to come in with a tourist or business visa and promise that they can get a residence permit later. Some teachers have had success with this, even as recently as 2019, but others have gotten into serious trouble attempting it. The complicated paperwork required from your home country means it's easy for something to go wrong, and you're at risk of getting caught before the residence permit application goes through. Best not to risk it.

If the school doesn't require teachers to have a university degree, this is a red flag. Foreigners can't get a work permit without having at least a bachelor's degree, so these schools are either having teachers work without proper papers or obtaining work permits fraudulently. Even if you do have a degree, working at one of these schools may mean that they won't be able to get you a work permit or at least that they might bend the rules in some way when they're getting it. Foreigners with these fraudulently obtained work permits have been detained or deported, so you are highly advised not to take up such job offers.

A few issues to be careful of regarding work permits:

• A work permit only allows you to work for the employer that got it for you. Taking other jobs on the side is illegal and foreign teachers have been arrested for it.
• If you decide to change jobs, make sure your new employer arranges to transfer your work permit.
• If you decide to leave your job and stop working in China, make sure you tell your employer and do the proper paperwork. If you go AWOL, you may encounter problems with the authorities when trying to leave China later on.

Other professions

There are opportunities in the main cities for professionals with backgrounds in areas such as finance, engineering, or information technology. There are also some for teachers other than language teachers.

Generally speaking you will need to be sponsored by a company in China that has a certificate to hire foreigners. There is significant paperwork involved around your Z visa as well as taxes, and it is advisable that your company send their FAO or use an agency to take care of these on your behalf. If you have do paperwork by yourself then you will find it very difficult and time consuming, even if you can read Chinese.

In previous years, companies were happy to fly in expatriate managers in order to develop their Chinese operations, although for both cost and cultural reasons there is now definitely a stronger preference for hiring workers and management locally. The cost of relocating and paying a foreigner is very high compared to the local workforce and companies will look for unique capabilities that you can bring, rather than generic 'middle managers'.

Opportunities for expatriates are usually far greater at multi-national companies with a significant China office than in local Chinese companies.

Many expatriates who wish to work in China actually base themselves in Hongkong, owing to having a simple immigration process, easier living conditions for foreigners, low taxes and ready access to the Chinese mainland.

"White monkey jobs"

While the legality of this is questionable, some foreigners take on so-called "white monkey jobs" while in China. In such jobs, companies pay white people to do essentially nothing but show up at company events such as promotional events and business meetings and pretend to be one of the company's staff members, as the presence of a white person/foreign face will boost their company's legitimacy in the eyes of the Chinese public. Thus, companies that appear to have white people among their staff tend to enjoy better business and win government contracts more easily.

Be cautious as this kind of job is in a gray area where legitimacy is sparse, pay is low, and risks are rising. Remember that a work visa is tied to a specific company in a specific city, and it is generally illegal to take on a side job—something that foreigners have been arrested for, despite having a work visa. It is also illegal to do a different kind of work from what you and your employer stated in your visa application. The Chinese government has been stepping up enforcement of employment laws, and companies may not be up-front about (or even know) whether they're following the rules, so consider carefully whether this type of work is worth the risk.

Modeling

White foreigners are always in demand in the Chinese media. A stroll through any shopping mall will confirm how many Chinese products use white faces for their domestic promotional campaigns. In many of the big coastal cities, these jobs are dominated by groups of Russian models who do this as a full time job. Even so, there are always agents looking for new faces. Look on websites and notice boards for announcements. Payments start out in the region of ¥500 per day plus expenses but can often rise to much more. A blonde haired, blue eyed, white skinned female, older gentlemen and babies are especially in demand, and black males are also in demand for sportswear advertising. Be cautious as those kinds of jobs are in a gray area where legitimacy is sparse, pay is low and risks are rising.

Wedding officiant

Everywhere you go in China, you will see wedding photo shops. Some of these hire white guys to play the role of wedding priest at big parties and photo shoots. This usually requires a decent level of Chinese to recite the wedding vow speech in Mandarin, but payments of ¥1000 per ceremony are quite standard. For full scripts and further details, see the book Is Nothing Sacred? Making Money as a Wedding Priest in China.

University applications

Also known as "education consulting", in some ways this is a variation of English teaching. Many children of elite and well-off Chinese parents are looking to attend top universities abroad, particularly those in the United States, and their parents are willing to pay top dollar for admissions counseling, essay help, test prep, and so on. The institutions that offer these services are keen to hire graduates from highly-ranked foreign universities and pay salaries similar to the middle to upper range for English teachers. These jobs are concentrated in "first-tier" cities (Beijing, Guangzhou, Sjanghai, en Shenzhen). During the application season (October–January) it's hard work and you'll be busy, but for the rest of the year it's much more relaxed.

Be warned: ethical standards in this industry are not consistent. Some companies won't just want you to help students with the essays, but actually write the essays for them. The company won't necessarily tell you this outright when you're applying. Look out for red flags before taking a job.

Import/export opportunities

Nearly every Chinese location has local specialties that can be exported on a small scale to make some extra pocket money. Many towns specialise in manufacturing a single product and some of the more entrepreneurial expat teachers earn a nice little side income by leveraging this opportunity. This is especially easy in big cities such as Guangzhou and Shenzhen where international trade is the backbone of the local economy. Armed with a reliable guidebook to the wholesale markets, any teacher can quickly find a niche product upon which to focus, develop some local contacts and begin shipping to a partner back home. If you choose the right products and suppliers this can often develop into a full time business.

Scientific research

The government is keen to boost China's international profile in scientific research, and is investing heavily in making China's universities and research institutes competitive with those in the West. There are many opportunities for people with a PhD in scientific fields from the world's top universities to work in China, and the pay is usually competitive with, and sometimes even higher than what is on offer in the West, particularly if you have a good publication record.

Tech jobs

China has a booming tech industry, and there are opportunities for people with university degrees in computer science and engineering to work for Chinese tech companies such as Huawei, Xiaomi, Tencent and Alibaba. As the "Silicon Valley of China", most of the tech jobs are concentrated in the city of Shenzhen, though there are also opportunities in other first-tier cities, and increasingly in the smaller cities as well.

Outside mainland China

Since the requirements to work in Mainland China are quite difficult, you could also consider working in other Chinese territories such as Hongkong, Macau en Taiwan that have completely separate and more relaxed conditions of entry. These places are also easier to work in the English language, with the Hong Kong government and legal system using English in addition to Chinese. Their cultures are also more Westernised than that of mainland China, making it somewhat easier for Western foreigners to adapt to the local cultures.