Not sure if this is correct in all circumstances. I worked with an American PhD who was 66. I'm just over 60 and have been offered another contract for a year. Some of the Chinese top professors are over 60. To paraphrase a well-known saying "If you're old enough you're good enough."

Some International Affairs officers seem to make up rules on the hoof because of one experience with one teacher who may have got ill. These 'rules' are then disseminated by well-meaning teachers and if you say something three times it is taken as the truth! If China really needs 100,000 native speakers a year, as had been quoted on this forum before, how likely is it that good candidates will be turned down?

Perhaps someone would like to print here for all to see th exact words of any official document.

On the other hand don't expect to get a job in South Korea as the retirement age is 55 and in one e-mail I had in response to an enquiry the reply stated that it was not discrimination but the " golden years" were expected to be enjoyed by senior citizens who should not have to work.