A very useful post, for any new teachers. I spent 4 years in Zhongguo and experienced my fair share of nonsense, though i was very lucky and somehow always managed to get my money (probably helped that i had a Chinese girlfriend).

Anybody wanting to work in China should do all recommended in the post but should also carefully consider their motivation for going to China. The salaries never increase, so the 6000 or whatever the school is offering is worth a lot less than when i started (China suffers from inflation too!!). Also, as the poster stated, getting the money for the airfare is always a trial and, in these times, it's unlikely to cover the cost of your flight.

Finally, i would advise anybody considering going at the moment to consider the visa situation very carefully (make sure you look at the website of your home country's embassy)) and please, don't believe what any recruiter tells you, because i can guarantee that what they understand about Chinese visa regulations would fit comfortably on the back of a postage stamp.