Raoul's got a great post, although many well educated foreign applicants to any Chinese school/center know/will know what an employment contract is/means to them. What they all should know is that China's really difficult for any contractual agreements and foreign teachers often are to sign two contracts, one with the employer and one standard foreign affairs (SAFEA) one which usually comes later, or when the residency permit is applied for. Moreover, foreigners to China should know that those two contracts may have quite a few contradictions in between and then they should know that some local labor laws also may contradict these already enough contradictions. Yes, China is difficult and if I had to choose again, I would not choose it. When I came in this country the SAFEA was none existant and laws were only in the air. Now, when the air is so polluted, some of the laws've fallen on us sadly enough.

On the salary that Raoul's mentioned well in his post, I'd suggest to all that they make it clear what an "hour" means as a teaching hour isn't an hour but a 40 minutes lesson (could be 35-45 depending on schools or centers). Perfect your contracts!

Cheers and beers to our fine employment contracts that've got such fine language in that it makes me cry