Agents and their client schools in Shanxi and Shaanxi were notorious in their abuse of the recruitment process the past few years. Other provinces, I can speak to Guangxi, Hainan and Fujian, have been more stringent than in past years, but there have been 'work-arounds' for renewals of teachers already in China. I don't think it serves the continuation of this flexibility in the process for me to be too specific.

It is a fact that schools are 'making do' with fewer foreign teachers and/or receiving fewer candidates from overseas that are likely to pass muster with the PSB.

New hires who are completing Z-visa applications in their home countries should have little difficulty acquiring originals documents from their local police departments and city clerks. The people most affected are those already teaching in China who for some reason are without access to originals or without actual qualifications.

Release documents from unethical schools ARE a problem. The best solution for that situation is to thoroughly 'vet' your employer prior to accepting a position.