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Q: Could someone please clarify the age restrictions for teaching English in China?
Hi, I've been looking at several ads on eChinaCities and some say the minimum age is 25, others say 24, some do not specify. I'm 23, but already have two semester's teaching experience for both normal classes and special needs in the US, a bachelor's degree, and will most likely pursue a TEFL before I go. Is there an official age restriction, for say, obtaining a Z visa, or does it vary from employer to employer? I'll be 24 in October and probably wouldn't leave until August or September, so I guess I could wait until my birthday to apply for a visa if that's what it took. Thanks very much.
11 years 8 weeks ago in Visa & Legalities - China
I joined college at the age of 16 and did two years work experience after I graduated. While in China, students join college at the age of 19. It looked illogical to the Chinese people that I have after graduation work experience at the age of 22. Try to contact some respected schools in China, they probably have an answer for your question.
Hulk:
Most Chinese people can't think outside the box. I could've went to college at 15, but decided video games were more important. For someone considered so smart back then, I sure made a bunch of dumb decisions.
Amonk:
When I explain that I've been teaching as a paraprofessional part-time since I was in university they just look at me in stunned silence. They really don't understand how a person could do school and work at once.
Age varies with schools. We have recent graduates from the USA working here, one is aged 21. If you are interested in a teaching job contact me. We will require at least 4 or 5 teachers in September. Your age is not an issue.
At 24 years of age and someone who has a bachelors and some type of experience you would be fine. The youngest person I've seen working here on a 12 thousand rmb per month salary was a 19 year old kid from the states. It wasn't that he was 19 it was that the kid was literally straight out of highschool with his only work experience being a busboy in a chinese restaurant back home. He picked up the language got rather fluent in it and decided to come to China. I'm not sure how he found out he could come here with that type of resume and land a really nice job but he did.
2 years of work experience after receiving your undergraduate degree. That's what you need for a Z-visa.
sethbarham.esl:
Is that actually required by the government or is it just the typical case? I definitely have more than 2 years of working experience, just not exactly 2 after my degree, considering I graduated before last summer. If a school is willing to sponsor my Z visa would the application actually get rejected because I don't have 2 years of experience after my degree?
Amonk:
It is required by the government everywhere as far as I know. The school will say that they will sponsor your Z-visa but they will actually make you get a tourist (or student, or business) visa instead. It's possible to find work here, but it's technically illegal.
sethbarham.esl:
Well, I suppose the inevitable question is, how often do they crackdown on people working illegally? Quite honestly since I've been doing research it seems to be the norm. My best friend even worked on tourist visa and received a car-park payment or two.
Amonk:
Don't try it in the big cities (Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Guangzhou), but in the smaller ones you can get away with a bribe.
