hello,
and so to speak, I have spent most of my time today trying to figure out if there's Chinese law on Employers holding passports but found nothing then I came to read these thread of messages. I hope it's not too late to post but just want to let FTs out there who have not landed the purgatory of TIANSHOU EDUCATIONAL EXCHANGE, I'm warning you if you hear this name of a company or names like "MAMA WANG, MAGGIE and SOPHIE" don't think twice, don't ever decide of coming here in CHANGCHUN, JILIN province or else you will regret a million times as what I am suffering now. I am still employed in this company now, sadly I wasn't informed beforehand. Should I have known earlier, I shouldn't have left my previous school, I should have been enjoying my stay in China, the benefits, fair salary (I should have save much), and have gone home for a vacation if I have not landed in this evil company. I am being hunted by nightmares of regrets since I came here, it is true the company can process your Z visa with a snap of your finger but that's all the best they can do and the rest are the worst to come in your life. Once you signed a contract, they will offer you a very low salary and if you beg for a raise they will bargain into a little additional amount in exchange of your longer contract. Or, of course they do it in purpose, once you have signed the contract they will ask you to wait for about one to two months before you can start working. But, within that 2mos you'll be scanty and out of money so you'll borrow from the company and if you borrow a big amount they will bargain and asks you to sign another year of contract (so all in all you'll have 2years contract). Then, while you teach, expecting an exact amount of salary as they have promised but once you check your atm account you'll be surprise and when you ask the staff why, they'll say that is a must deduction for other fees etc...oh one more thing this is the only company that asks you to pay for your visa fee.(tsk,tsk)And,if you signed for a 12-month contract you'll only work for 7 to 8 months and the rest 4 months, you'll starve to death since there's no salary.

Now, in my case I tried to apply to other better and legal school. They are expecting me to be there before the semester starts. I am very sure I can pay the amount of breach of contract in this company. A month before moving, I took my passport from the company (TIANSHOU) and paid 3000 rmb deposit(tsk,tsk). I actually planned of telling the company a week before leaving that I will not continue my contract and since I heard a lot of FT's have done this when they left the company, they just have paid an ample amount of money to the face of MAGGIE and she let them go. When it's my turn she asked me to pay 1500 rmb and in return she'll give me release letter but will cancel my visa and change it to tourist visa. I disagreed that my visa will be canceled and had a little argument, then I said I'd rather go back to my country if that's the case but she threaten me she will blacklist me....so and so..in the end I ended up staying in the company and had to finish 8months for my contract ( I idiotly signed 21 months contract :() Since I was weak that time (I think their office has a bad aura no matter how strong and ready you are, you become helpless when you enter) they took my passport and didn't give back my 3000 rmb and no work for two months for the summer holiday. They didn't care if I will live or not since they didn't even give my salary for the month before the semester ends. I went home defeated, I wish I could fight back but it's useless. It's good thing I have kind fellow FTs to feed me before the next semester starts.