Rotterdam?
Sounds more than a bit dodgy to me!
It's not just Shanghai Rego, but also their other schools in Beijing and Tianjin. The principle from Tianjin did a runner in February leaving the school to be taken over by the head of ESL who perpetuates the lies told by the owners.
One of the reasons people aren't getting paid is because the schools have no control over their own finances, it's all run from a central office. Money is transferred from China to offices in Rotterdam where teachers are paid from.
It's a sad situation and I hope no other teachers get sucked in.
It's not just the lack or need for expat teachers in the future that will drive away the expats, like myself. It is the entitlement attitude that the younger generation possesses. I have stated that every time I have traveled to China, I see the customer service quality as well as the general hospitality attitude go down by more than a few notches. By now though it has hit rock bottom. Young people in China are generally spoiled, impatient, and possess tunnel vision when it comes to basic things like communication, listening, and being courteous in general. This things really never got better in the first place but the low quality in terms of living conditions at least forced many of them to be humble. Now that their government is promoting the idea of the country "making it" and becoming a "superpower" they feel justified with living life like it's every man for himself (or every woman for herself if you're a girl). The classless, bullying, and selfish behaviors of this demographic will only get worse as time goes on.
If you want to become one of the latter ones though you will have to put on a show for others and let them see you as a Tool of sorts. Not something I can stomach with my conscience.
That is exactly what training centres and chinese employers in EFL want generally. Yes, I think it is hard to stomach for any westerner. As you say, there are those who can stomach and work part time jobs everywhere, with little free time, but make perhaps a bit extra than your average FT, but as you also say, it is still nowhere near what a fully fledged expat with benefits will get of course.
True, but do to brain drain the Chinese can't be so tyrannical as to keep those overseas graduates away. The intelligentsia naturally leave those regimes that have a firm grip on their populace, and its happening now in China. While yes China is an oligarchy, it won't completely close itself off to the outside world. It can't because it cannot sustain itself do to it's large population and limited resources. Not so long ago China started a crackdown on visa over stayers and most of those who were sent back home were Africans. In retaliation African governments started to do that with Chinese people living in their countries. There are 40 million Chinese born people living overseas and less than one million foreigners in China. Even if foreign countries sent back 10 Chinese people for every foreigner, China would run out of foreigners before the rest of the world would run out of Chinese.
Also, Chinese overseas graduates would not be so keen on being English teachers at a private or public school. Many won't risk losing face to travel so far and come back to become a teacher other than a prestigious university. The money is not so high working in education. I do believe that there is, and will be a niche for foreign teachers in China. The elite 1% will continue to work as you stated because the Chinese cannot produce as many talented individuals do to their education system. I do fear that the ranks between the elite 1% of non-teachers and the teachers will thin out because China will have produced enough educated people to fill those spots.
As for teachers, you also have to factor in that the Chinese government has loosened the one-child policy a bit and now if a couple consists of one member that is an only child they can have two now. I belived that their will be a mini baby-boom in China that will give me some work here for a few years more.
Unless Chinese overseas trained English teachers lost their accent, Chinese English would only be recognizable between themselves and not the rest of the world. But that is a minor reason why I thing teachers will continue to remain here and grow in numbers.
The winds of change will most likely blow the expats away from China. There are 230,000 Mainland Chinese students currently studying in the U.S.A. for degrees. While not all of them will graduate, you can expect the job market for expats to slowly dry up as these students go back. China is at a point right now where She wants everyone with a pulse and able to work to be undyingly loyal to her agenda. If you did not grow up in her educational system you will be marginalized if you try to go there and make a life for yourself. The only expats who seem to have it okay are the ones who are busting their butts working 2 or 3 jobs and making a mere 1,000 dollars or so more than the average ESL Teaching salary or ones who have actually married into well connected local Chinese families. If you want to become one of the latter ones though you will have to put on a show for others and let them see you as a Tool of sorts. Not something I can stomach with my conscience.
There is the 1 percent of elite, skilled expats who work as engineers or in other heavy industry related fields. They make the same white collar, six figured salary (this is in U.S. Dollars or British Pounds) that they would make back home. But they are a very small minority.
True, they have. But I guess my point was for a teacher who just wants to dabble or get his feet wet, but not commit the old way was better. I do realize that you cannot have it both ways however, and the Chinese have the right to make their own rules in their own country. Just my personal belief that these rules will shot them in the foot as more teachers will head to Taiwan, Thailand or the gulf where visa stuff is easier, not harder to solve.
Yes that would sadly seem to be the case.
Many people of different nationalities have been stranded in HK. From the end of the school year 2013-summer 2014, all FT's will have to go home regardless, perhaps even yearly, although of course things could change, but let's see where the wind blows.
Respectfully, how should they come?
Oftentimes and in the past, Z visas were processed where else but Hong Kong? I personally know many teachers have left China and more will do so, as a result of the draconian new rules.
I dare say that Z-visas have always been available at the Chinese embassy in one's own country.
I have said it the past that whichever school or company you have signed up with should send you a
I have sent you emails in the past regarding this. There have also been many posts on this topic on this forum as well as other forums. You'd best save this information. Maybe create a template with a microsoft office application and save it in a secure folder on your computer and maybe also on a usb flash drive. If you are working on an F Visa you are skating on thin ice. You had said in an earlier post that you cannot get a letter of release from your previous employer. There may not be much you can do about it if you didn't get a Foreign Experts Certificate from them, as you are not in the computer system.
I did read on this forum that Z Visa runs to Hong Kong are no longer allowed?
Respectfully, how should they come?
Oftentimes and in the past, Z visas were processed where else but Hong Kong? I personally know many teachers have left China and more will do so, as a result of the draconian new rules.
Let this be a lesson to all foreigners, don't come to China on a tourist visa.
Update - The Principal Vanessa [edited] pulled a runner midnight (Friday Nov 15th, 2013) I am at the airport now hoping to pass immigrations with a lapsed tourist visa. China-Never again!
Update-The teachers at SRIS have not been paid still but some of the local Chinese staff may have been? There is rumor of the Principal fleeing the country this coming Friday Nov 15th, Friday and going back to the U.K.
We are all a little quiet as of now until we safely get out of China,with or without pay.
I happen to be one of the Teachers at Shanghai Rego and was recruited from Wales,UK. We have not been paid in nearly three months and the school owner will not respond ?
We have started to slowly contact the parents of students in fear of a teacher strike.
Never seen a bad review of this magnitude in Wikipedia. Obviously, someone thought of using Wikipedia as a school review forum ;o) Here are a couple of excerpts for those who can't access the site:
"In 2012 it was announced that the school had been struggling to obtain the proper permits and authorizations from the local Chinese government. The owner of the school stated publicly that the teachers had been working in Shanghai with tourist visas for at least 6 months. Tourist visas only allow visitors to stay for 30 days and it is illegal to work in China while visiting with a tourist visa. [1] He also admitted there were "difficulties" paying the teachers on a regular schedule. The administration declined to provide details on what exactly these difficulties were. [2]
The Principal has shown little or no empathy for past and present staff she has recruited during these difficult times. In fact it is unfortunate to say the Principal has become part of the rot in the school through her actions.
The current situation is a repeat of the 2012 situation where members of staff do not have a work visa to be employed as teachers, they are working on L tourist visas! The teacher's salaries in Shanghai, Beijing & Tianjin Rego are more than two months late as of November 7 2013 and they have not been provided with health insurance since the beginning of the school year."
I found this Wikipedia link to the school through google : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shanghai_Rego_International_School
The Wikipedia article itself is highly damning of this school. The situation appears beyond all hope.
Avoid.
Shanghai Rego International School has not paid its staff and teachers since August. We are licensed teachers and this is a International school in Shanghai.So after not being paid for three months now rmb 60-70,000 in total (we never paid tax) We will begin are teacher strike on Monday11th,2013.