IELTS are 'ok'. They pay less, and that stupid group compound is for children. They lock you out at 10:30pm, and a guard (old woman, ayi or auntie) watches all of you and reports everything back to IELTS and the PSB near the main square. Walking outside to cook, take a shower, or go to the washroom, is unhealthy in winter.

You can decide. Anyway, my advice is that you shouldn't leave your homeland to go there without a Z visa, a clean criminal
background check, and credentials that are not bogus.

Definitely, and don't go if they say that 'no degree or an associates is ok'.

It's a trap. Your TA can collect 5000 rmb if you are not legal.

Sign the contract BEFORE you leave not after you arrive.

Expect to experience traditional Chinese culture in the poor area. This involves the locals
showing great interest in you. They will most definitely ask your TA to tell them about
you in detail. Ensure she never does that before it happens. Staring at you, trying to
peek into your shopping bag to determine what you have bought, saying laowai to each
other, all this will happen on a daily basis.

Correction - every 5 minutes. 'Constant' means just that - constantly.

Taxi drivers will grab your food to look at what you have and touch it.

People will leap to their feet as though on puppet strings to stare in your wallet.

And make sure that no one is around when you open your bank account - they are NOT 'curious', they are stealing your identity to rob you.

Bring a foreigner friend, and have them push the crowd away. Cover all of your documents. Bring blank paper, a scarf, an umbrella.
Expose nothing - not your passport, ID, license, contract - nothing.

This is not conjecture - happened to a teacher I know 2 years ago. First pay, just taken. Oops, sorry.

This involves the locals showing great interest in you.

It's called 'surveillance' and 'spying'.

The new Safety Act states:

Obligations and rights of citizens and organizations
Article 77 Citizens and organizations shall perform the following duties of safeguarding national security:
(A) comply with the Constitution, the relevant provisions of the laws and regulations concerning national security;
(B) Timely reporting clues endanger national security activities;

Guess who represents potential "endanger national security activities" in China?

That's right - foreigners and non-Han.

YOU.

Timely reporting - that's why everyone is flipping open their phones and placing calls when you show up, and it's why people sit down across from you at the central bus station and take your photo without asking.

Things are much different now than they were from 2002-2014. It's more like 1977, and that is very much not a good thing.

People I speak with who have lived in country 8 years, who must now be extremely circumspect on the phone, describe it as thus:

"Things are getting really bad."

It's up to you if you want to deal with this, but at least you know.

Personally, I recommend that you teach in any of the other 195+ countries or sovereign entities that are on this planet.

What's the latest about this foreigner-friendly school? Does asnyone have any inside information?

Problem is you have already contradicted yourself. You said in your beginning post that Yuncheng IELTS provides its foreign teachers with nice apartments however when I provided examples of instances when Yuncheng IELTS does not provide real apartments you got all hostile

I decided to concede for your hardness of heart that they were, say....utility with some disability. But you see for me that is a good flat to have in China. The flats in the compound I thought were quite nice-but I admit FT's had to share some facilities- however, even that has advantages of comradeship and wot-not twixt FT's- gay get togethers in the courtyard. I like other FT's- I take it that you are a bit of a loner?

Yuncheng IELTS School is regarded in the EFL industry as a good Chinese employer. Read all about this Chinese company:

http://www.eslteachersboard.com/cgi-bin/cn/index.pl?read=1449

Those living conditions are not up to par for what is required for teachers working legally as Foreign Experts in China. You have actually worked at Yuncheng IELTS, so what you say definitely carries more weight than those who haven't.

Problem is Yuncheng IELTS does not always provide its foreign teachers with a nice flat. Like many other employers in China Yuncheng IELTS has a habit of breaking contracts when it can particularly when it comes to accomodation. Be sure that you are in fact being provided with a real self contained apartment and a not subject to childish rules.

You are talking about their teachers' compound. Well they did close the doors before the pubs turned out, so to speak; however, the Ft's I knew who lived there were no big-girls-blouses, and used to wake up the old fart and his wife to let them in- rules are made to be broken, dear boy-and also tellings-off regarding your conduct the night before(waking caretaker) are to be listened to ,ignored, and do it again next weekend hahaha. The flats I saw were habitable- like anywhere in China repairs are sometimes left undone for a while- best not to grumble though, makes one unhappy. They pay on time and don't rip you off.

Company in self-praise shocker.

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2013-05/04/content_16474513.htm

Draft rule aims to attract talented professionals China urgently needs

Foreign talent will soon be eligible for China visas valid for up to five years, under a draft regulation.

The draft was released by the Legislative Affairs Office of the State Council on Friday, and public opinion is being sought for a month. It states that China will grant two new types of visa, R1 and R2, for foreign professionals.

Both types will be granted to foreign talent and professionals at senior level that the country urgently needs, according to the draft.
A R1 visa will come with residency rights, while a R2 visa will allow multiple entry and exits.

Liu Guofu, an immigration law specialist at the Beijing Institute of Technology, said R1 visa holders can apply for a residence permit for up to five years, while a R2 visa will allow professionals to stay in China for 180 days at a time.

The regulation will be implemented under the Exit and Entry Administration Law, which takes effect in July.

Visa holders should be experts recognized by provincial-level governments and above, and professionals that China urgently needs, according to the regulation.

Earlier rules endorsed by five ministry-level departments state that foreign professionals working on projects carried out by central government departments and centrally administered enterprises, and talent introduced through provincial-level recruitment programs, can benefit from the new long-term visas.

The new State Council regulation does not specify groups that China urgently needs and which are eligible for "talent visas". But Liu said a draft in which ministerial departments had assessed feedback from specialists, including Liu, shows they include candidates with management experience at leading multinationals, specialists in education and science-related fields, and renowned figures in culture and sport.

"The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security or the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs may soon release the list of target groups," Liu said.

Wang Huiyao, director of the Center for China and Globalization in Beijing, said the new visas will help attract overseas talent.

"The regulation will especially lure those who work in other countries but want to spend time working in China," he said.

Wang said that in the past China had focused a great deal on how to manage foreigners working in or visiting the country when making or amending visa-related laws and regulations.

Rule: 'Green card' mulled

But now the country is aiming to attract global talent by providing more convenient visa policies, like many other countries, including the United States.

Quintus Doamekpor, a 34-year-old from Ghana, has been working in China for 11 years. He married a Chinese, has a daughter and works as a language teacher at a school in Yuncheng, Shanxi province. Doamekpor said he has a foreign expert certificate, and his visa must be renewed every year. "I hope to know more requirements for the new visa application and I want to be included," he said. "My ultimate aim is to obtain a permanent residence permit."

Liu has suggested that policies should give "talent visa" holders the chance of permanent residency after they have worked in China for a certain period.

The government is considering lowering the threshold for permanent residency.

The Ministry of Public Security is drawing up a draft regulation, under which foreigners who work in China for 10 consecutive years may be eligible for a "green card".

Meanwhile, the State Council regulation states that visa management bureaus and entry-and-exit management bureaus under public security departments can keep fingerprints of foreigners who enter China.

Well, I'm glad that Turnoi (thanks) thinks I'm credible, Foxy, since the name of the game is to save folk from getting involved with the stinking rotten Yuncheng IELTS. I see you don't wish to respond to the fact that Yuncheng has regular weekly powercuts in the winter which often last for a few days. Every surface in Yuncheng gets coated in a filthy black dust, so much so that you quickly learn to avoid using handrails. Last winter the pipes in the notorious foreign teachers' compound were frozen up for a whole month. Yuncheng IELTS considered the costs involved in correcting the situation and consequently left all without running water for the month. In addition, most of that month the compound was left in darkness. Now I understand that a few teachers don't have to stay in that prison compound,and it could well be that you have done better with that company, having a Chinese wife to fight your corner-alas, we can't all arrive with Chinese wives.

Continued,as promised:

Alex says:"So, Foxy, the repugnant Mr River managed to fool you with one cheap Chinese meal and 'we think you are a really excellent teacher'- That is standard, he says that to all,even if you're rubbish-he thinks that will serve instead of more money or even that microwave promised to all-or anything they are not doing for you and should."

But this is what he's referring to,from one of my earlier posts:"Earlier,during the negotiations I had found Mr River to be understanding and more than fair.He was very kind indeed,even treating my better half and me to a slapup meal with as much high quality beer as I could drink at one of Yuncheng's premier eateries after the contract had been cacelled,something that he needn't have done!"

I take it that a slapup meal means a cheap one,or has Alex shot himself in the foot again?
My advice is that what he says should be taken with a huge pinch of salt.
That reminds me,if you ever visit Yuncheng,you should go to its salt lake.

I don't think you've been in China very long.Yuncheng is at least an average county seat.Ther're far worse urban centres in China than Yuncheng.And not all of the foreign teachers in China like the bright lights,the crowds and the immense sprawl of the likes of Beijing.OK,you are not a friend of Yuncheng IELTS,but at least Mr River treats foreigners well despite never having been abroad.I think that you should avoid criticizing Yuncheng city and the like in future.
Yuncheng IELTS pushed me to change my style of teaching,though I'm a native speaker from Scotland.I've no problem whatsoever with that.
But I defy you to give me an example of any FT who is capable of teaching oral English effectively to a mixed ability class of middle school students of size > or = to 50.Imho,it's impossible.
Let's face it,the Chinese education system,whether private or public is all about making as much money as possible.The no. of students/class will always be,and always should be a convenient scapegoat for a FT,and,what's even worse the rubbishy textbook used in Yuncheng has many bad grammatical mistakes,and mistakes in the intended exact meanings of the sentences.But that doesn't matter,its publishing house is famous,and sb with clout who's Chinese is making a mint by selling rubbish in a monopolistic situation.GIVE ME THE TOOLS,AND I'LL DO THE JOB!That book is a blunt tool. Good teacher,excellent teacher,incompetent teacher - so what?If you're making RMB,and out of the Western rat race where you'd have been working much harder for a lower standard of living,that's the point!What's more,I'd never denegrate myself and Western culture by negotiating with Chinese bosses.Dead simple,they offer,either I decline or accept.If the former,I look elsewhere for a job.They'll never look down on me!

Whatever native born English speaker you are, English, Scottish, American, Australian and so on- Yungcheng IELTS or the two break-away companies busy gobbling up Yuncheng IELTS's, none of these are right for you. They are geared-up for second language English teachers,or from iffy, speak their own type of English countries- and good luck to them-we all need to work. Yuncheng IELTS push foreign teachers and not Western foreign teachers. Much of China is really beautiful but that certainly doesn't include Yuncheng, it's the pits, it's a hole, it is the worst place on earth. Move south young man and forget about these slimey toads.

Nature, it appears, has been rather more bountiful to Pauls (Choatle) body and purse than to his intellect; above the ears, speaking bluntly, the boy is strictly tapioca. ~ S.J. Perelman

You win again! I can't let this go. I protest about what exactly? I have only said that I work for Yuncheng IELTS and that I'm having a good time. I don't represent other teachers, I don't say that your allegations are groundless, I don't claim to be anything that I'm not. What's your problem with that?
You call me a liar, you call me a fake, you negate any argument I have with speciousness and non sequitur , you patronize me and label me as insecure. If being insulted and reacting makes me insecure in your eyes then where do I go from here?
Here are a few ideas: What's your name and when did you work for the company?
Would you like to meet me in Yuncheng anytime this week, except Friday, and come with me to Yuncheng IELTS so we can clear the air before I sign my second contract? I'll pay for lunch.
Where do you work presently? Are you happy there? Do they have a job for me that's as good as the one I have now?
Would you like to see the 45 minute video that I've just spent two days working on? It's for my sister's birthday and has lots of footage of me being happy with my job.
Honestly, if you think I'm a fake, then I have to reevaluate my thinking.
You are, as you say, a poster of some standing, I've read some of your posts; criticizing schools you admit having no knowledge of and taking every opportunity to belittle others more successful than yourself.
You have my email address, meet me and let's resolve this, I don't want to be treated badly by my employers either.
Ian McAllister

I love it when people call things they dont want to hear a rant. The rest of your words show massive insecurity. Good for you, I hope you continue to be satisfied with your employment with that company, lord only knows someone should be after all these years of them screwing people, someone had to have a good experience eventually. However in my opinion you protest far too much, which lends credence to my words, it does not detract from them.

Then your an innocent dupe, makes no difference to me really. I know you would clearly like to read vitrol into my post, however there is none there clearly, just fact, logic, and simple deduction, as well as personal experience with this company. Also I clearly know a lot more about them and how they operate, wish I didn't.

Could I be working for a rival company? Well since I have a long posting history here, and one that denounces all recruiters and such companies as Yuncheng Ielts, that is unlikely. You however are either a plant or a dupe, either of which means little to me. Your way of posting, and it's over the top style to come to the aid and defense of Yuncheng Ielts says a lot. Those of us here who have been in China a while have seen it all before, and it's almost always BS. I find it highly unlikely you would go to such lengths, and a first time poster no less.

Real or not, it really doesn't matter, like I said, even a broken clock is right twice a day, don't change the fact it's a piece of junk, does it?

I think we both know though that your posting is at the behest of others, but you can say whatever you like, however the way you posted, it's timing, and the content of it says otherwise, actions speak louder then words. Also, you take it all far too personally to just be a simple teacher who has no stake in it all.

That's all I have to say, recruiters and their ilk need to be removed from the equation in China, starting with companies that double dip, like Yuncheng. In fact they triple dip, since they not only get paid to find a teacher but they also make as much or more then you from your salary, and keep your vacation money. What a racket, need I say more?

Choatle, you could be right, I could be a plant. I'm sure it happens, and I wish I'd never posted considering the vitriol of your reply. This was the first time I'd replied, but it's not the first time I'd been on the site. If you look at the other videos that I have on Youtube, you'll see pics and video of me in Korea and Japan. Perhaps you're right and I am satisfied with less. I made the video because I want to have memories of Asia when I go back to Europe. I am a musician as well as a teacher, and have posted many songs and messages on the Guitar for Beginners and Beyond forums, such as a link to the video you saw. That site is http://www.guitarforbeginners.com/forum/
if you should care to look, the first reference I made to enjoying myself in China was months ago. No-one has suggested that I defend IELTS and I would not refute everything you say, nor will I get into a war of words with you. I do love it at my school, and I have said that on other forums too. I always use my real name so I'm quite easy to spot, but I feel that you'll not be easily convinced.
If I am a plant, could it not also be true that you work for a rival company and are attempting to put people off Yuncheng IELTS? If either of us are guilty then it would be a great disservice to the many people, including myself, who use this forum when looking for jobs. I resent being referred to as a 'sock puppet' by the way, anyone who knows me would tell you that that's far from accurate.
Ian McAllister

Good publicity is what Yuncheng is after now, and it's a company, not a school. A company so unscrupulous that the mayor of Yuncheng has had to be bribed to keep the foreign affairs office and other outfits from closing them down. This is fact, please check into it. The school regularly hires and employes teachers without the proper credentials, pay's pretty poorly, and pockets a full half of the money the schools are paying out. To say the outfit is poorly run and in need of a fix up for it's image is an understatement. This fellow is someone who clearly did not of his own volition or decision tape his class and then download it to the net for us all to see. People don't do that unless it is at the behest of another, or their being paid, or looking for brownie points big time. I know, I worked for this outfit, and know a dozen others who have left after being ill used. Some of those folks still live in Yuncheng, none are happy with this outfit. If this teacher is for real I'd be real surprised. That he is a plant, a schill, a lackey, rather obvious. Always someone showing up who has never posted before or been to this site, to give a good review of a school for their very first visit. Even has a video tape of all the fun he is having. Yeah, he and his motivations are real? Gimmie a break, just too darn convenient.

Schools and recruiters always do the same thing, when they see a bad review, some knight in shining armor who no one has ever seen before comes charging in to save their asses, like the damsel in distress. Only this distress was caused by the company and it's poor treatment of teachers. They have two branches, one which won't even get Z visa's and only employs them on F's.

This knight in shining armor who has appeared, since it is a last minute thing, has never posted here before, yet has all sorts of good things to say. The video is a little too over the top for it all to be believeable though.

Let's face it, we have all seen the lengths schools will go to, taping classes though to show the fun their teachers have, come on, lets all see this for what it is, a lame ass attempt by a greedy recruiter to save their business.

Yuncheng Ielts is not actually a school at all. It is a 3 room office in a back allwy. They are a recruiter, that's all. If you ask them if they are they will say no, they are a joint venture company. This is a fancy name for a recruiter, they basically want to confuse you with semantical arguements. They will tell you they are a collective of schools who have come together in a "joint venture" whatever that means. The truth is those schools are just schools who can not hire foreign teachers legally, or simply don't know how. Yuncheng Ielts get's paid 150 per class, you get 55 or 60, your assistant gets 15 or 20, and they pocket the rest. The full range of services they offer is none. The apartment you get is not paid for by them, but belongs to the school. If your working for a public school, and all of their schools are public, they keep your summer and winter holiday pay, you get nothing, hence they get to double dip off of your hard work. Oh you get paid, but the pay goes to them, and they keep it, you won't see a dime of that money. Of course our erstwhile teacher, who either doe's not exist, or is just an unknowing pawn, would not know these facts if he was real, and likely would not care, since he's likly happy to simply have a job, that's if he's a real person. My guess is that the school, likely Paul, or one of their other foreign lackeys, posted this "review", and then just put up a miscellaneous video from their archive of many to lend credence to the story. That is most likely, that this so called teacher just ain't real. If he is, like I said, he isn't privvy to these facts.

Yuncheng Ielts is a scam outfit, they do absolutely nothing, and pocket more then half the cash. If something is broken, don't expect it to be fixed. If you have a problem, don't expect them to solve it. If you want a legal working visa, expect to be taking a trip to HK and expect to pay for it yourself. If you expect a nice apartment, good luck, and if you expect everything to work, good luck also. I have no doubt that occassionally these people have a happy teacher working for them, this speaks less to their quality and more to the person working for them, and what will make them happy. Also, lets all remember, even a broken clock is right twice a day, but it's still a piece of junk.

Nope, I think this "fellow" or plant, or person who is likely not even real, has been debunked. Why on earth would anyone out want to work for a recruiter who is just a scab feeding off of your hard earned money? They make a bundle, take your money, and they do zero to earn it. Yeah, this is an outfit I want to work for. Most who work for these kinds of outfits are illegal and can't get the proper visa. Hey, that's fine, I get it, everyone has to work, but honestly, even you folks can find work at a legite outfit, this ain't one of them.

Yuncheng Ielts is a recruiter posing as a school posing as a joint venture cooperative. A lot of semantics to try and confuse what they really are, a recruiter, and we all know what that means. If you dont, just keep reading this board, and you will know. Sorry Ian, or should I say sock puppet, or whoever you really are, your busted.

Yes my experience was less then Stellar. Paul, the so called "head of foreign teachers" was a little strange, as you said. This fellow thinks he knows everything, but really he's just a condescending pompous ass who couldn't cut it in Canada, believe me.

The two other thieves involved are a fellow who calls himself Mister River, and another fellow who claims to be a Doctor. I don't know what he is supposed to be a doctor of, but it sure ain't medicine.

My experience when I first came here years ago was not god either. They saddled me with an English assistant who, unfortunately, wanted to be the one doing the teaching instead, and pretty much went out of her way to be difficult. Her English was not so good either.

The school they put me in was falling apart. Doors that would not close, no heat or AC, trash on the floors. The apartment was worse, broken water heater, old out of date DVD player that couldn't play half of the DVD's you put in it.

These folks did not pay anything for the apartment, and when I wanted to move, they said I would have to pay the rent, even though thats against the law. Schools are supposed to legally provide housing, don't ever let them tel you otherwise.

This Yuncheng Ielts makes a bundle. Though they are small compared to many out there, if you make 5,000 their making 5,000 also.

Nothing promised in the contract materialized. It was a major chore to get any help with anything, and all the assistants who work for them and with you, at least from my experience, were spoiled unprofessional brats.

Overall not a good experience. No, they are not the worst, they do pay on time, but thats about it.

The contact is a joke, allowing them to take and "hold" 1,000 of your salary every month, which they will keep if you quit, or are "fired", how nice. Greedy bastards no question. The only people making out at that place are the two top Honchos and their pet Lao wai Paul, a bigger loser I have not met. The teachers, the all lose.

They cover no visa costs, keep the summer and winter vacation pay, which is paid in full because they work for public schools, who provide vacation pay. What do they do, sit on their asses for the most part and devise new and creative ways to get more money out of your work and effort. yes, avoid these people at all costs.

HI there. I am just wondering, has anyone ever heard of these folks. I worked for them for a few month a while back, total disaster. Oh, they are not all that bad compared to some, but they are bad enough.

They happen to be one of those parasite recruiters who basically find you a job for an unlicensed school and then stick around to suck you dry, of both money and self esteem.

They offer no real support, give you crappy apartments where most of the things are broken, and they don't honor their contract. Contracts with them are laughable, asking you, the teacher, to let them take out 1,000 kwai a month as "security" which you will of course get back at the end of the contract.

They are not a school at all really. Just some small dumpy office in a back alley off of a main thoroughfare in Yuncheng. Oh they do have a white board up for prospective teachers to give demo's I guess that makes them a school.

The out fit is run in part by a Foreign fellow name Paul from Canada, and some fellow named Mr River. Interesting name, I know. Avoid these scammers like the plague. While not the worst outfit out there, if anything goes wrong they will just dump you. Their contracts have an interesting clause that if any Chinese teachers don't like you, then they can fire you. Like I said, to be avoided at all cost.

These jokers will also try and sell you to other recruiters if they can. They operate almost entirely out of Shanxi, although they seem to be expanding of late. If you see any ads in Yuncheng, it's probably them.