Hi

I am a newbie and am in contact with a school for a new start in the fall. The contract I have received seems fine, I just want some advice about the following clauses which I have copied and pasted below. For those of you experienced do you think it is reasonable? I was a little taken aback by the hard line on visitors. I was hoping I could have my girlfriend visit on the odd occasion. Also the clause about having to pay for a medical exam because I am not in China now, is this normal?

Thanks in advance for your help. Much appreciated.

Dave

Processing of Visa, Residence Permit and Alien Employment Permit

All employees are required to hold the appropriate PRC work and residence documentation, including visa, residence permit and alien employment permit as a condition of his or her employment by the School. The School will arrange for and pay the cost of a letter of invitation, alien employment permit and residence permit with respect to a multiple entry visa for each Academic Year of the term of employment. The Employer will be responsible for the cost of any medical examination or diagnostic procedure that the PRC may require as a condition of the residence or employment or in maintaining continued residence and employment where such an examination is carried out within the PRC.

The Employee will be responsible for all the costs involved in any medical examination or diagnostic procedure that the PRC may require which is carried out outside of the PRC.

The Employee agrees to submit to any medical examinations or diagnostic procedures that the PRC may require as a condition of issuance of such documents.

The Employee is responsible for the cost of arranging and carrying out police checks and the travel costs incurred as a result of obtaining such checks whether or not these are carried out within or outside the PRC.

The Employee is responsible for all costs involved in the issuance or renewal of the Employee’s passport, the translation of the Employee’s documents if obtained from outside the PRC and any legalization or authentication of documents for the purpose of submission to PRC authorities.

In order to process your resident permit the Public Security Bureau require that you produce the original or officially authenticated copy (this being carried out an an authorized place or by an authorized agency as directed by your local PRC Consulate) of your degree and criminal record check. These documents must exactly match those documents provided to the authorities for the purpose of obtaining your letter of invitation and initial ‘z’ visa.

If subsequently you are unable to produce these documents within fourteen days of arrival, your employment will be terminated and you will be charged a visa processing fee of 3,000RMB.

Accommodation

The School will provide the Employee, while employed with the School, with furnished accommodation, to be assigned by the School, and a monthly utility credit in the amount of three hundred (300) RMB to be applied against utility charges billed directly to the School. The Employee will be billed for monthly utility charges in excess of this amount.

The Employee is expected to use the assigned accommodation as his or her primary residence in China. The assigned accommodation is provided to the Employee on the understanding that it is for the sole use of the Employee and on the condition that the Employee will not allow another person to occupy it for any period of time whatsoever.

Failure to use the assigned accommodation as the Employee’s primary residence, or allowing another person to occupy the assigned accommodation will result in forfeiture of the assigned accommodation and is cause for summary dismissal.

Local Public Security regulations strictly regulate the provision of accommodation to foreigners and as such The School is bound by these regulations.

An employee who is not returning for the next Academic Year, or who is being assigned different accommodation for the next Academic Year will be required to vacate the assigned accommodation within seven (7) days of the end of the Academic Year.

In the event of The Employee having been accepted for a new school year, he/she will have access to the accommodation during the summer vacation upon receiving written confirmation from a person of at least Vice Principal status.