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Posts: 12

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Q: I have my residence permit of Chongqing but different work permit location?

Hi. I already have my residence permit in Chongqing but I don't get it why my training school can't give my work permit yet as it has been registered to their "sister company" in Beijing. Is it possible having these 2 permits from different cities? Or they lie?

4 years 40 weeks ago in  Visa & Legalities - China

 
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Hi, I am in a similar position. I am due to come to China to teach English. I haven't ever been to China before so am not too familar with the laws. My Chinese employer has issued me a work permit that says Foshan but I am due to work in Shantou. They told me I will go to Foshan for my residence permit but they will change it to Shantou in the future. They originally were planning to apply for my RP in Guangzhou, (still not Shantou), but their visa license expired and would've taken some time to renew. Is this all legal? I am due to apply for my Z visa in a couple of days time so any information before that would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Stiggs:

You can't have a WP if you haven't even applied for your Z visa yet. The school is very likely lying to you and should be avoided.

4 years 38 weeks ago
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SunnySingh:

Really? When I say WP, I'm referring to 'NOTIFICATION LETTER OF FOREIGNER’S WORK PERMIT IN THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA'. I'm presuming this is the same as the WP, no? 

 

I'm taking this WP letter with my application form to the visa centre in London to get my Z visa. If what you're saying is correct then surely the visa centre will tell me this as well?

 

You're not confusing this with the Residence Permit, are you?

 

You got me worried now! haha

4 years 38 weeks ago
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Stiggs:

I don't know what that letter would be, at this point of the process the only letter you should have is an invitation letter that allows you to apply for the Z visa, which you use to enter China and the school then applies for your RP and WP.

 

If the school is saying you have a WP already I'd be very suspicious.

4 years 38 weeks ago
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SunnySingh:

I've just looked online and it appears as though the WP is the green card. I have not been told I have this card but I will surely ask them about it. Thanks for letting me know!

 

In regards to the main discussion, is it legal or illegal to work in a different location to the one stated on your WP then? I have all the right documents so don't wish to get in trouble for no reason! 

 

4 years 38 weeks ago
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TPP:

Nice troll Sunny. Have an upvote for your satire. lol

4 years 38 weeks ago
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SunnySingh:

Genuinely wasn't a troll post! They been describing it as a WP so figured that it was already approved. Not been to China yet so I didn't know the 'work permit letter' was not the actual 'work permit'. 

 

Plus, I was originally asking about the different locations... the WP was just picked up by Stiggs! Though I guess my question is now about the location of the 'work permit letter' (not the 'WP') being different to the location of the teaching position.

 

Feel free to answer if you do know and I'll give you an 'upvote' :)

4 years 38 weeks ago
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TPP:

Sorry, I didn't realise you were so fresh. The short answer is that you can only legally work in the one location that your sponsor specifies. So if you get your RP in Foshan the letter of the law says that is where you are permitted to work. Nowhere else.

4 years 37 weeks ago
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Stiggs:

Yeah it's not legal but it does happen.

 

Some people have no problems, others do have problems. I have a friend who had the police show up at his school and pretty much closed it down - all the foreigners there were working illegally but didn't know it and there was a lot of drama.

 

What you decide to do is obviously your choice.

 

I'd be asking just what that "notification letter of foreigner's work permit" is too. If it's a confirmation letter you get before they print the WP -which it kind of sounds like - it would either mean they've organised the WP before you even arrive in China which would be very unusual or they copied / photoshopped  one to give you which would be setting off alarm bells if it was me.

4 years 37 weeks ago
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TPP:

The letter of the law and how it is applied are two very different animals depending upon countless unpredictable factors.

4 years 37 weeks ago
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SunnySingh:

Thanks for the info guys! Yeah I'm kind of keen on avoiding the drama! 

 

I've got my visa appointment in the morning so I think I might mention it to them and see what they say. They can obviously choose not to accept my application form. I contacted my prospective employers yesterday evening so just waiting to hear what they say about it. 

 

The  'notification letter of foreigner's work permit' seems fine. I googled it and I saw some images similar to it. I'm also handing this in with my application form for the Z visa so it's highly unlikely they would doctor this as the visa guys will be checking it.

 

I've been arranging all this for the past 4 months (TEFL certificate, authenticating documents, WP letter etc.) whilst unemployed. Would be devastated if it all went down the drain now! Literally on the last stage before booking a flight. Life as a foreign teacher, eh!

4 years 37 weeks ago
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TPP:

I hope it all goes well for you Sunny.

4 years 37 weeks ago
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Stiggs:

Sunny, something I always recommend new people do when looking for a job is ask the school for the email addresses of other foreign teachers there, then contact them and ask what the situation is.

 

Schools I've worked at had no problem giving the addresses and schools that don't want to provide them... well that's a huge red flag.

4 years 37 weeks ago
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SunnySingh:

Thanks guys, and cheers for the advice Stiggs! I'll keep it in mind for the future. I did try and get in contact with some other employees a few days ago via LinkedIn, but only one got back to me. I did ask about his WP and RP but he hasn't mentioned anything yet.

 

Out of curiosity, who are you guys working for? If you don't want to answer that (for anonymity purposes), then is there anyone you wouldn't want to work for? There's a lot of mixed reviews online about my company.

4 years 37 weeks ago
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4 years 38 weeks ago
 
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The big training mills often do this. I know others who had work permits issued in Chongqing, Chengdu, Wuhan and Dongguan but worked in other provinces.
I'm no lawyer but as far as i know, you can only work for the entity who sponsors you in the location specified within the jurisdiction that issued the permit. I wonder if this causes any issues when you register with the police near your home?

Stiggs:

I know of people who were in that situation and I wondered the same thing about registering with the police so I asked how they handled it.

 

They were told by the school not to register, which I think would be inviting trouble but then registering could be too. They didn't register in that city but they were registered at an address in the city where their RP was.

4 years 39 weeks ago
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4 years 39 weeks ago
 
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Hi @TPP, the problem they have now is that they're shady 15 Chinese employees working with a less than of 8 foreign teachers distributed to different schools (I'm in the office). They have an agency working for our permits, and this info was only relayed to me after I asked them my work permit. After 5 months of working with them, I find it weird why they still haven't done with it yet, you know, changing the work permit location from Beijing to Chongqing where I am currently working - if in case it's possible?

 

I don't think that causes any issues when they register as I already have my residence permit now. So they're trying to trick me to, maybe, get hold of me?

TPP:

I doubt they can transfer it to BJ. They are only allowed a certain number of FTs and the older employees probably are those. As Stiggs says you're registered with police in Chengdu and they probably don't want you to register in BJ or it may cause problems for them.

4 years 39 weeks ago
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4 years 39 weeks ago
 
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Shifu

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they liesad

 

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4 years 39 weeks ago
 
Posts: 7

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Hi, I am in a similar position. I am due to come to China to teach English. I haven't ever been to China before so am not too familar with the laws. My Chinese employer has issued me a work permit that says Foshan but I am due to work in Shantou. They told me I will go to Foshan for my residence permit but they will change it to Shantou in the future. They originally were planning to apply for my RP in Guangzhou, (still not Shantou), but their visa license expired and would've taken some time to renew. Is this all legal? I am due to apply for my Z visa in a couple of days time so any information before that would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Stiggs:

You can't have a WP if you haven't even applied for your Z visa yet. The school is very likely lying to you and should be avoided.

4 years 38 weeks ago
Report Abuse

SunnySingh:

Really? When I say WP, I'm referring to 'NOTIFICATION LETTER OF FOREIGNER’S WORK PERMIT IN THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA'. I'm presuming this is the same as the WP, no? 

 

I'm taking this WP letter with my application form to the visa centre in London to get my Z visa. If what you're saying is correct then surely the visa centre will tell me this as well?

 

You're not confusing this with the Residence Permit, are you?

 

You got me worried now! haha

4 years 38 weeks ago
Report Abuse

Stiggs:

I don't know what that letter would be, at this point of the process the only letter you should have is an invitation letter that allows you to apply for the Z visa, which you use to enter China and the school then applies for your RP and WP.

 

If the school is saying you have a WP already I'd be very suspicious.

4 years 38 weeks ago
Report Abuse

SunnySingh:

I've just looked online and it appears as though the WP is the green card. I have not been told I have this card but I will surely ask them about it. Thanks for letting me know!

 

In regards to the main discussion, is it legal or illegal to work in a different location to the one stated on your WP then? I have all the right documents so don't wish to get in trouble for no reason! 

 

4 years 38 weeks ago
Report Abuse

TPP:

Nice troll Sunny. Have an upvote for your satire. lol

4 years 38 weeks ago
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SunnySingh:

Genuinely wasn't a troll post! They been describing it as a WP so figured that it was already approved. Not been to China yet so I didn't know the 'work permit letter' was not the actual 'work permit'. 

 

Plus, I was originally asking about the different locations... the WP was just picked up by Stiggs! Though I guess my question is now about the location of the 'work permit letter' (not the 'WP') being different to the location of the teaching position.

 

Feel free to answer if you do know and I'll give you an 'upvote' :)

4 years 38 weeks ago
Report Abuse

TPP:

Sorry, I didn't realise you were so fresh. The short answer is that you can only legally work in the one location that your sponsor specifies. So if you get your RP in Foshan the letter of the law says that is where you are permitted to work. Nowhere else.

4 years 37 weeks ago
Report Abuse

Stiggs:

Yeah it's not legal but it does happen.

 

Some people have no problems, others do have problems. I have a friend who had the police show up at his school and pretty much closed it down - all the foreigners there were working illegally but didn't know it and there was a lot of drama.

 

What you decide to do is obviously your choice.

 

I'd be asking just what that "notification letter of foreigner's work permit" is too. If it's a confirmation letter you get before they print the WP -which it kind of sounds like - it would either mean they've organised the WP before you even arrive in China which would be very unusual or they copied / photoshopped  one to give you which would be setting off alarm bells if it was me.

4 years 37 weeks ago
Report Abuse

TPP:

The letter of the law and how it is applied are two very different animals depending upon countless unpredictable factors.

4 years 37 weeks ago
Report Abuse

SunnySingh:

Thanks for the info guys! Yeah I'm kind of keen on avoiding the drama! 

 

I've got my visa appointment in the morning so I think I might mention it to them and see what they say. They can obviously choose not to accept my application form. I contacted my prospective employers yesterday evening so just waiting to hear what they say about it. 

 

The  'notification letter of foreigner's work permit' seems fine. I googled it and I saw some images similar to it. I'm also handing this in with my application form for the Z visa so it's highly unlikely they would doctor this as the visa guys will be checking it.

 

I've been arranging all this for the past 4 months (TEFL certificate, authenticating documents, WP letter etc.) whilst unemployed. Would be devastated if it all went down the drain now! Literally on the last stage before booking a flight. Life as a foreign teacher, eh!

4 years 37 weeks ago
Report Abuse

TPP:

I hope it all goes well for you Sunny.

4 years 37 weeks ago
Report Abuse

Stiggs:

Sunny, something I always recommend new people do when looking for a job is ask the school for the email addresses of other foreign teachers there, then contact them and ask what the situation is.

 

Schools I've worked at had no problem giving the addresses and schools that don't want to provide them... well that's a huge red flag.

4 years 37 weeks ago
Report Abuse

SunnySingh:

Thanks guys, and cheers for the advice Stiggs! I'll keep it in mind for the future. I did try and get in contact with some other employees a few days ago via LinkedIn, but only one got back to me. I did ask about his WP and RP but he hasn't mentioned anything yet.

 

Out of curiosity, who are you guys working for? If you don't want to answer that (for anonymity purposes), then is there anyone you wouldn't want to work for? There's a lot of mixed reviews online about my company.

4 years 37 weeks ago
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4 years 38 weeks ago
 
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Answer of the DayMORE >>
A:  "... through ..."?  Only "through" comes to mind is "S
A: "... through ..."?  Only "through" comes to mind is "Shenzhen agent can connect you with an employer, who's authorized to hire waigouren ... and can sponsor Z visa." It's not like every 10th person you meet in Shenzhen's hood can sponsor work visa ...  The only way to change from student to labourer visa is just a regular way by: 1. Finding an employer, who'll apply for an Invitation letter; 2. Exit China and apply for Z visa in your home country's Chinese embassy; 3. Enter China in 30-days after Z visa was stamped into your travelling instrument ...As I am aware, you won't be able to switch to Working permit by remaining in China....,so make ready for a return to your home .... -- icnif77