1. Q: I'm not a native English speaker. Can I teach English in China?
A: Native English speakers are preferred but not required as long as you have a good command of the English language and do not have much of a foreign accent. There are many teachers in China who were not born in but educated in English speaking countries with not much of a foreign accent. There are many ESL/EFL teachers in China who were not educated in English speaking countries but teach very well.
2. Q: Am I able to teach in China without any prior teaching experience?
A: Many teachers who come to China to teach have no prior teaching experience especially for shorter term programs. It is fine as long as you have the motivation and patience to teach. If you do not have any prior teaching experience and have never been in China before, we will suggest you to participate in a TEFL training (for example http://www.boland-china.com) and orientation program before the start of your teaching program. The training course will be taught by experienced certified teachers in China and will cover various teaching techniques. There will also be seminars discussing Chinese students learning characteristics and cross culture barriers as well as living issues in China. Crash courses on Mandarin Chinese, local excursions, and social events will also be included. Some schools will also provide extra training when you arrive. And it is free.
3. Q: How about the teaching time in China?
A: Teaching time in China varies from school to school, but often is between 12 and 19 hours a week.
4. Q: May I choose a teaching-position freely?
A: Yes. You may choose whatever ESL Job is on any website and wherever the job is.
5. Q: What are the advantages of teaching and learning in China?
A: It is an excellent way to learn about the Chinese culture, customs, and behavior. You can teach English to the Chinese and share your culture with them, but also can learn Mandarin Chinese from them. Besides, you will make many friends with both the locals and other foreign teachers and build useful network. It is especially helpful if you want to pursue an international career in the future, as China is a rapidly developing country and is playing a bigger role in the world economy and politics. Besides, you will be offered free accommodation, a salary, and in some cases, free meals, airfare reimbursement, and free excursions!
6. Q: Will there be opportunities to learn or improve my Mandarin Chinese during my contract?
A: Yes, many schools in China offer Chinese language courses for foreigners, that you can take at your spare time. Some schools may offer you lessons or tutoring services at a discounted price. You can also find a private tutor or share one with other foreign teachers. A private tutor may ask for between RMB 30-40 an hour. We find the best way to learn Mandarin and the Chinese culture is to find a local Chinese student or teacher as a language exchange partner. Many Chinese students and teachers are eager to teach you Mandarin in exchange for your help in English.
7. Q: What about the compensation in China?
A: For your work at a school, college or university, you will likely be paid between 2,000 and 5,000RMB/month (roughly US$300-$620) in addition to free housing and health care. If you commit to one year of teaching, most host schools will reimburse at least a one-way ticket and many schools will reimburse a round-trip ticket. Some schools will also provide a traveling allowance equivalent to half of a month's salary. 2,000-3,000RMB a month is little money by Western standards but it is far greater than what Chinese professors get paid. In any case, things are cheap in China and 2,000-3,000RMB is enough to cover your basic expenses. However people come to teach in China mainly for the experience with the culture and the people; there are also people who use the opportunity as an investment for their future career. Private institutes, mostly under Western management, generally pay more than state colleges and universities. The pay ranges from $500-$800 per month. All of them reimburse a round-trip ticket to China if you commit to one year of teaching at least.
8. Q: Will I be able to live on a RMB 2000 monthly salary? How much do I need to spend in China?
A: Yes, indeed you are higher paid than many local workers and teachers in China. Normal wages in Beijing and Shanghai (the richest cities) are between RMB 1500-2000, and less in rural/inner China. Since you do not have to pay for accommodation, your main expenses will be on food (some schools also provide free meals to teachers), transportation, and entertainment. Food is generally cheap in China. Single dish meals at the cafeteria on campus cost as little as RMB 4 (USD 0.50). Chinese restaurants on campus in the school area offer meals for RMB 10 - 20 (USD 1.25 - 3) per person per day. Western restaurants cost between RMB 50 - 100 (USD 6-12) per person per meal. Transportation options include public buses (which cost about RMB 1 per ride) and subway (RMB 2 - 3 per ride), and taxi costs about RMB 10 (USD 1.25) for short distances. Internet Cafe is very cheap for about RMB 4 - 6 (USD 0.5 - 0.75) an hour. Entertainment in general is also inexpensive.
9. Q: Can I have another part time job or teach at my spare time to earn extra income?
A: Yes, as long as you fulfill your contracted teaching hours and responsibilities, most schools will allow you to earn some extra money through another job or more teaching at your spare time.
10. Q: How do I get paid? Do I need to pay tax to the Chinese government?
A: You will be paid at the end of each month in cash by your participating schools or institution. Salaries are tax free to the Chinese government if you earn less than RMB 4,000 a month. If you earn more than that, you will have to pay some tax, but the rate is quite low. Some schools may pay the tax for you, and it will depend on your teaching contract with the school.
11. Q: Can my partner go with me to China?
A: You can usually take your wife or husband with you if you have been offered a legal job with visa and working permit. However, she or he may not be allowed to work and you may find it difficult to support a dependant on a teacher's income. If, however, your partner is also an EFL teacher, you could probably both find work in the same school or town.
12. Q: What about taking children to China?
A: With a legal job you can usually obtain a resident's visa for your children, though again you may have difficulty in supporting them on a teacher's income. There would also be the question of their education, which in some cases would prove exorbitantly expensive.
13. Q: Should I find a job before going to China?
A: If you like adventure, and have a good TEFL certificateand perhaps a degree for working permit purposesyou might jet off with the reasonable confidence of finding work when you land. If you are a little more staid, or nervous, or cash-strapped, you might do better to fix it all up before leaving. This is six of one and half-a-dozen of the other. Employers actually prefer to see the white of your eyes and are not interested in video-conferencing or Internet interviews. Other employers may have agents in your own country and prefer to recruit in that way.
14. Q: How do I get a work visa?
A: When working in China, you are required to have a "Z" or "F" visa.

The easiest way is to get a "F" visa with our invitation letter or you can go to Hong Kong without any visa and apply for a 30 day tourist visa at the Hong Kong airport. As soon as you arrive at the working location, give your school/Chinese recruiter your passport and two passport photos and they will help to obtain the work visa within two weeks. Always remember to renew your visa at least two weeks before it expires.
The second way of getting a work visa is: First prepare a copy of your passport, four passport photos, application letter, recommendation letter and health check report (you must get the form from the local China embassy). Then your school/Chinese recruiter will mail an invitation paper to you that you will bring to a Chinese Embassy to obtain a "Z" work visa. It takes at least 20 days for the school/Chinese recruiter to mail the invitation paper to you. You will get a work visa from the Chinese embassy directly. Usually this way is troublesome, we highly recommend the first way.
If you still have questions, please visit these websites:
Embassy of The People's Republic of China in Australia
Embassy of The People's Republic of China in Canada
Chinese Embassy in Belgium http://www.chinaembassy-org.be/
Chinese Embassy in Brazil http://www.embchina.org.br/
Chinese Embassy in Bulgaria http://www.chinaembassy.bg/
Chinese Embassy in Czech http://www.chinaembassy.cz/
Chinese Embassy in Denmark http://www.chinaembassy.dk/
Chinese Embassy in Egypt http://www.chinaembassy.org.eg/
Chinese Embassy in Estonia http://www.chinaembassy.ee/
Chinese Embassy in Finland http://www.chinaembassy-fi.org/
Chinese Embassy in France http://web.amb-chine.fr/
Chinese Embassy in Germany http://www.china-botschaft.de/
Chinese Embassy in Hungary http://www.chinaembassy.hu/
Chinese Embassy in Iceland http://www.china-embassy.is/
Chinese Embassy in India http://www.chinaembassy-india.org/
Chinese Embassy in Indonesia http://www.chinaembassy-indonesia.or.id/
Chinese Embassy in Ireland http://www.chinaembassy.ie/
Chinese Embassy in Israel http://www.chinaembassy.org.il/
Chinese Embassy in Japan http://www.china-embassy.or.jp/
Chinese Embassy in Lithuania http://www.chinaembassy.lt/
Chinese Embassy in Nepal http://www.chinaembassy.org.np/
Chinese Embassy in Mexico http://www.embajadachina.org.mx/
Chinese Embassy in New Zealand http://www.chinaembassy.org.nz/
Chinese Embassy in Norway http://www.chinese-embassy.no/
Chinese Embassy in Papua New Guinea http://www.chinaembassy.org.pg/
Chinese Embassy in Peru http://www.embajadachina.org.pe/
Chinese Embassy in Poland http://www.chinaembassy.org.pl/
Chinese Embassy in Portugal http://www.embaixadachina.pt/
Chinese Embassy in Romania http://www.chinaembassy.org.ro/
Chinese Embassy in Russia http://www.chinaembassy.ru/
Chinese Embassy in Saudi Arabia http://www.chinaembassy.org.sa/
Chinese Embassy in Singapore http://www.chinaembassy.org.sg/
Chinese Embassy in South Africa http://www.chinese-embassy.org.za/
Chinese Embassy in Spain http://www.embajadachina.es/
Chinese Embassy in Sweden http://www.chinaembassy.se/
Chinese Embassy in Switzerland http://www.china-embassy.ch/
Chinese Embassy in Tajikistan http://www.chinaembassy-tj.org/
Chinese Embassy in Thailand http://www.chinaembassy.or.th/
Chinese Embassy in the Netherlands http://www.chinaembassy.nl/
Chinese Embassy in the Philippines http://www.china-embassy.org.ph/
Chinese Embassy in the Republic of Korea http://www.chinaemb.or.kr/
Chinese Embassy in the United Kingdom http://www.chinese-embassy.org.uk/
Chinese Embassy in the United States http://www.china-embassy.org/
Chinese Embassy in Turkey http://www.chinaembassy.org.tr/
Chinese Embassy in Uzbekistan http://www.chinaembassy.uz/
Chinese Embassy in Zimbabwe http://www.chinaembassy.org.zw/
Chinese Permanent Mission to the United Nations and other International Organizations in Vienna http://www.chinesemission-vienna.at/
Chinese Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York http://www.china-un.org/
Chinese Permanent Mission to the United Nations Office at Geneva and other International Organizations in Switzerland http://www.china-un.ch/
Special Commissioner's Office of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in Hong Kong SAR http://www.fmcoprc.gov.hk/
Special Commissioner's Office of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in Macao SAR http://www.fmcoprc.gov.mo/
Chinese Consulate-general in Auckland http://www.chinaconsulate.org.nz/
Chinese Consulate-general in Chicago http://www.chinaconsulatechicago.org/
Chinese Consulate-general in Fukuoka http://www.chn-consulate-fukuoka.or.jp/
Chinese Consulate-general in Houston http://www.chinahouston.org/
Chinese Consulate-general in Khabarovsk http://www.chinaconsulate.khb.ru/
Chinese Consulate-general in Los Angeles http://www.chinaconsulatela.org/
Chinese Consulate-general in Melbourne http://www.chinaconsulatemel.org/
Chinese Consulate-general in New York http://www.nyconsulate.prchina.org/
Chinese Consulate-general in Rio de Janeiro http://www.consulado-china-rj.org.br/
Chinese Consulate-general in San Francisco http://www.chinaconsulatesf.org/
Chinese Consulate-general in Sydney http://www.chinaconsulatesyd.org/
Chinese Consulate-general in Vancouver http://www.chineseconsulatevancouver.org/

Copyright 2004 China TEFL Jobs Network
www.tefl.cc