This was a reply sent by Molly Leighton from English First. I'm including what she wrote below,

Your application has been reviewed, and due to the current visa requirements in China , in order to obtain a work visa to teach in Shanghai , Beijing , Shenzhen or Guangzhou you will need to complete a TEFL course. We encourage you to look into options for obtaining TEFL certification, if you have an interest in working in these cities in China .

I'm primarily interested in these cities and more likely Shenzhen or Guanzhou with a metro...

Has anyone else been told the same by other recruiters?

Thanks in advance,

Jason