Yuncheng IELTS School has had to cancel contracts with some schools and colleges in Yuncheng and its associated counties.That was due to Yuncheng foreign affairs office no longer issuing and/or renewing quarterly F visas,or no longer replacing L visas by F visas, for teaching purposes.What's more,aspiring foreign teachers in mainland China with L visas can no longer get Z visas from Hongkong or any Chinese visa office located outwith their home countries,despite production of letters of invitation authorized by the provincial government.
Given that many Chinese schools and colleges only offer around 8000 Yuan air fare reimbursement for a 10-month teaching contract,it's clear that the new visa regulations discriminate against foreigners with L visas living in China wishing to become foreign teachers in China.
Those foreign teachers who are working or have worked for the company on F visas more often than not have no university degrees.As a result,Taiyuan foreign affairs office wouldn't issue letters of invitation for Z visas to such unqualified foreigners.But the F visa alternative is now a thing of the past.So is the conversion of an L to a Z inside China;I'm fortunate enough to have such a rarity in my passport!
Strange that the Chinese foreign affairs bureau has made it more difficult for Chinese employers to recruit foreign teachers at a time when the demand for foreign teachers has rocketed.The mind boggles!