Disclaimer: I am not now nor have I ever been affiliated with this company. I do not support nor do I condemn the company, but I do care that the readers here get the best information to help them in their journeys. This information is from various people that have been involved with Worlda:

Mary Yu aka Mary Yuq is the HR manager for Worlda.

1) Most teachers seem to be just fine with obtaining the Z visa. I don't know why some posters here had issues with their passports being withheld for a long time - from what I know, this was not an issue for the other teachers.

You will have to do a medical exam back home AND a medical exam in China at a cost of 448 yuan plus potential lost and unpaid time off work.

You will pay another 400 yuan for your resident visa, assuming you go through normal channels, as there are exceptions to this rule.

If they told you they will pay for either of these two costs, you were mislead; both will need to be paid by you. There were different teachers recently that were promised one of these would be paid for, then had to pay out of pocket.

2) The apartments range from sub-standard to standard. Some teachers dealt with unclean apartments upon move in, as well as mold issues. You should expect to clean heavily. However, the apartments are generally nice for China: western toilets, furnished, etc. Locations are generally decent relative to the schools. Buses are accessible, and you can always purchase a bike for 100-300+ yuan.

On a side note, I'm a bit confused as to one of the previous posts and how they were having issues with gas in their apartment leaking, yet they chose to remain indoors, "dying." Were you locked inside the apartment? I apologize for my digression, but your reaction seems similar to "there's a fire, I should wait here until somebody physically picks me up and moves me away from it." Why did you not simply wait outside?

3) Pay is subjective. There is no agreement as to how much they pay you, other than the amount you expect per your contract. They do indeed pay for holidays, contrary to what was mentioned, but they may not pay you for something else you'd expect to be paid for. It is not simply "per class" nor per "hours worked." There is no standard other than what you think you agree to. Pay is not terrible, from what I hear, but it could always be better. Averages seem to be between 6000 and 7000 per month. The contract states you will work 20 hours a week, but most teachers have less class time than this. Most teachers have around 25 classes per week at about 40 minutes per class. As far as the company is concerned, this is what you get paid for. Not for being at the school, but for actually physically teaching. Additionally, expect unpaid periods such as pre-teaching training and trips to the office for various reasons. "Paid work" means something different in this instance, compared to what you are used to.

4) Utilities are subjective. From what I have heard, teachers don't receive bills directly but rather receive amounts from the company that are deducted from their pay without proof up front. I believe this is something that could probably be sorted out with the company, but expect a hassle.

Furthermore, if you were quoted 150-200 yuan per month for utilities, this is far less than you will actually pay (by roughly half).

5) Time off is impossible past 1 or 2 working days. Normally this will not be a problem, but this is something you should be aware of.

6) Contracts: If you receive any less than 3 contracts, or 4 contracts including the government contract, you are missing documents. There should be 1 "Working Norms and Systems of Work" contract, 1 "Dormitory Regulations for Foreign Teachers" contract, and 1 "Employment Contract," as well as 1 standard government contract. I advise you to read these carefully and look for potential issues that you will not think about before you depart. I should repeat this: review your documents CAREFULLY, and make sure you absolutely understand every section.

For example, if you decide to cancel your contract, even with 30 days' notice, you will not get reimbursed any of your airfare (they will not pro-rate it, should you cancel it early - e.g. you work 3/4 or 4/5 months and then have to leave for any possible reason, you will be responsible for your airfare). Furthermore, there are many other nuances that are present that would make even the most novice attorney grimace upon reviewing. Ask yourself if you are in the financial position to afford round trip airfare should something go wrong during your employment.

7) Teaching: different teachers get different assignments with Worlda. Some get decent deals, and some get screwed. Some teachers work 6 days a week (including Saturdays) and others work less. There is not necessarily any agreement before you arrive. Understand that if you arrive and are miserable, you can simply leave, but airfare and your initial stay in a hotel will be your financial responsibility.

If you have any questions, please post here and I will do my best to answer them for you.