drrjon
- 2015-11-21
There is no law like this. You must have heard wrong or you are making up a story. When I saw your post I was happy you provided a positive experience but I doubt very much that two officiers from the PSB told you that you can not work directly for a school. I do know that some public schools in small towns are able to hire teachers through agents. It was explained to me once that some rules are overlooked to help the poorer countryside schools. Most Universities and large language mills do hire directly.
An Absolute Beginner
- 2015-11-21
I was that back in 2006 when I went to Yuncheng to work for Yuncheng IELTS School, an agent that fulfilled the same role in the Yuncheng area of Shanxi as Enfly does for the whole of Sichuan.
My outfit only employed around 20 foreign teachers, but I was paid 5,000 a month for 16 classes a week, with my own teaching assistant, provided and paid by the company. She was a young Chinese college graduate who assisted me in planning the weekly 45 minute lesson to be taught 16 times in her presence at a state senior high school to first graders. She did the discipline and classroom management, as well as translation and interpretation in class, if necessary, at that county high school. The job was not at all stressful, and some of my colleagues, who were non native speakers with poor English, were able to fulfill their contracts easily, too. The cost of living in that pikey town was a bit higher than Yuncheng itself, which, as I subsequently discovered, was not unusual in China. My accommodation was provided by the company rent-free, and my apartment had a desktop computer. 5,000 a month in those days was good pay compared to what it would be now for obvious reasons.
You can make the comparison with Enfly. It's a no-brainer which of them would be the better employer of the two!
rory_mcd
- 2015-11-20
As several others have said you have chosen to promote Enfly and this is your choice whether altruistic or otherwise.
The fact is simply as I an others have said there is NO legal rule anywhere in China which states that any Foreign Expert must be employed through a third party. As you are very new in China I will give you a certain amount of slack but considering you are western educated your analytical thinking skills seem to thin on the ground.
You need to rewind a little and start thinking about how agencies work. Enfly is well known in Chengdu and its environs. As I said I have been in Chengdu six years. They simply recruit oral english teachers for government high schools in surrounding towns and counties. The schools charge each student a fee, out of that they pay Enfly and you and of course they will make something out of this themselves. If you ask one of your students they will openly tell you how much they pay, do the maths and work out your salary. You will likely be dumbfounded. That is all I will say.
Speaking generally the police officers (if they are actually police and not the 'police' of one of Enfly's schools and every educational establishment in China has 'police') will be involved in this equation somewhere. This is particularly apparent in areas where there are teachers working not on 'z' visas and resident permits. However if you are not on one of these and given Enfly's track record I would be highly surprised if you are then you really are at the mercy of them and if something goes wrong I hope you either have a credit card with a big credit limit or someone back home to help you.
Only last night I was having dinner with our FAO and showed him your comments and apart from almost falling over laughing, his first two words were "ridiculous lies". Enough said.
Good luck, if Enfly works for you then so be it but I do urge you to stop being so cocksure and in China question and double question everything that is told you. You are far removed from anywhere and anything you know.
Joshua
- 2015-11-20
I came to China in 2009 by directly applying to a University through their own website. I am
still at the same University. It is point of fact that our university refuses to use any
recruitment agencies or third parties whatsoever. The Foreign Affairs Office handles all
that side of things and every single FT I have met has always applied directly or been
referred by an existing FT here.
University =/= School teaching.
Whoever has told you this, alleged police officer notwithstanding is either hoping you are so
gullible that you will believe anything and if you believe this then you most likely
will or they are working hand in hand in collusion with this Enfly mob.
Guillible perhaps; In my defense it's a whole other country/legal system, and if an authority figure tells me something, then I'm inclined to go with that and avoid any hassle.
You had the temerity to think that a 5,000rmb bonus is 'great'. Our air ticket reimbursement
is 10,000rmb plus a 2,000rmb travel allowance. We get full pay for all holidays
including summer and I am on 7,500rmb for 12 classes a week with no bills at all.
You misunderstand that the ESL job that I do is an entry-level job, to expect those kinds of bonuses would be overstating my position as a student teacher..
Of course, if you're experienced enough to gain employment with a University; go for it! I never said Enfly was for teachers of that kind of calibre.
Stay clear, Stay away, don't go near no matter what 'Joshua' has to say. Seriously total and
absolute drivel and it takes a lot to surprise me after six years in China but this did!
If you have the level of experience that Rory has, then by all means, aim higher- but if you're a beginner or less qualified than a university lecturer, I feel that my opinions are worth your time.
AC_YC
- 2015-11-20
You really are misguided if you believe that.
Whether these 'police officers' are real or two of your imaginary friends I neither know or care. My former girlfriend now works at a University in Chengdu and she applied directly to them through finding the details on their own website and this was in August this year.
I really don't have time to continue this debate as there is nothing to debate despite what you say. You are talking absolute nonsense.
Joshua
- 2015-11-20
Your understanding is totally wrong. Enfly have led you straight up the garden path.Why do you think direct there are direct employers in China?
I for one work for a school where we only employ directly. No third parties, agencies or
recruiters are involved at all. We do everything ourselves from recruitment, HR and
administration and it works for us considerably better than when we did deal with
agencies. We would never go back down that road.
It's Illegal in Sichuan/my town.
Unless you want to tell me Enfly impersonated the two police officers who came to my school to give me an update on the rules?
rory_mcd
- 2015-11-20
It's my understanding that it's illegal to work directly for a school, that's how it was
explained to me by the helpful police officer: as a FT (on both the study and the
working visa) you must always operate through a third party, and they must pass it
through the local government operator, E.g. FT -> Contractor -> Local Gov't ->
School.
I have never heard such drivel in six years of being in China.
I came to China in 2009 by directly applying to a University through their own website. I am still at the same University. It is point of fact that our university refuses to use any recruitment agencies or third parties whatsoever. The Foreign Affairs Office handles all that side of things and every single FT I have met has always applied directly or been referred by an existing FT here.
Whoever has told you this, alleged police officer notwithstanding is either hoping you are so gullible that you will believe anything and if you believe this then you most likely will or they are working hand in hand in collusion with this Enfly mob.
Some years back I met an FT like you who was fresh off the plane and pro China this and pro China that, well mark my words you will change your tune when something negative happens and you find your salary has been short changed, not paid or you have some visa problems to deal with. Well he went back home with his tail between his legs a considerably bitter anti China man.
I did out of curiosity ask Enfly to send me a contract this summer and it is absolutely crap and one sided.
You had the temerity to think that a 5,000rmb bonus is 'great'. Our air ticket reimbursement is 10,000rmb plus a 2,000rmb travel allowance. We get full pay for all holidays including summer and I am on 7,500rmb for 12 classes a week with no bills at all.
No matter how much you try and promote them, the damage is done. I am actually surprised they haven't changed their name again. When I first came to China, I arrived in Chengdu and they were known as Sunny's English Club. Enfly is the same boss(es) with a new crappy name.
Stay clear, Stay away, don't go near no matter what 'Joshua' has to say. Seriously total and absolute drivel and it takes a lot to surprise me after six years in China but this did!
AC_YC
- 2015-11-20
It's my understanding that it's illegal to work directly for a school, that's how it was
explained to me by the helpful police officer: as a FT (on both the study and the
working visa) you must always operate through a third party, and they must pass it
through the local government operator, E.g. FT -> Contractor -> Local Gov't ->
School.
Your understanding is totally wrong. Enfly have led you straight up the garden path.
Why do you think direct there are direct employers in China?
I for one work for a school where we only employ directly. No third parties, agencies or recruiters are involved at all. We do everything ourselves from recruitment, HR and administration and it works for us considerably better than when we did deal with agencies. We would never go back down that road.
School.
Joshua
- 2015-11-19
I always prepared a second and a third alternative with other schools that
had offered me a suitable position
It's my understanding that it's illegal to work directly for a school, that's how it was explained to me by the helpful police officer: as a FT (on both the study and the working visa) you must always operate through a third party, and they must pass it through the local government operator, E.g. FT -> Contractor -> Local Gov't -> School.
This simply wasn't true for anyone on our intake- Enfly kindly provided me with hotel accomodation during the training week, and also for three days whilst my apartment was being prepared/cleaned ready for me to move in. This makes me question whether you're actually on the same page as the rest of us?you have to calculate additional
expenses for hotels and inland travel by train or plane to get to the othern place.
This is more a case of integrity rather than maturity. Personally I've experienced nothing but positives with my school; yes, the (dis)organisation over here takes getting used to, but just chill and roll with it, make sure to ask your contact teacher and anyone watching your lessons for feedback and advice, and even sound out the students to see what they think.acting like an adult also includes
staying clear of schools that lie to you and that you should therefore not work for.