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Q: Is it possible to find a job in China without meeting the two year work experience criteria?
Hi everyone!
I've read that for a Chinese working visa I need at least two years of professional work experience. I have some part-time teaching experience and a one year internship experience. My husband got a job offer in China, but I am really afraid even if we go there together, I won't find a job. I speak Chinese on a high level and I have a bachelor degree in engineering. So what do you think? Is there any little chance that I can get a work Visa in China or it's impossible?
1 year 8 weeks ago in Business & Jobs - China
I'd say 2-years of necessary working experience was put in place to prevent too young people to apply.
As Spider says above, do not come to China with Tourist visa 'cause even if you'll get a job as walk-in anywhere in China, you'll be required to return and apply for Z visa at Chinese Embassy in your home country.
Once, you get a job before coming to China, your Z/Working visa's sponsor/employer must take care of all necessary documents to apply for Z visa.
If you're wanting to work, secure the job before coming.
The two year rule is non-negotiable.
I'd say 2-years of necessary working experience was put in place to prevent too young people to apply.
As Spider says above, do not come to China with Tourist visa 'cause even if you'll get a job as walk-in anywhere in China, you'll be required to return and apply for Z visa at Chinese Embassy in your home country.
Once, you get a job before coming to China, your Z/Working visa's sponsor/employer must take care of all necessary documents to apply for Z visa.
Thank you for your answers. So you mean even if I am in China on a family visa with my husband it won't get easier to find a job at all? Sure, I will try applying for jobs from my home country, however I thought it can make a huge difference if I am already in China, and not on a tourist visa of course. I am curious about how solid is that 2 years of professional experience criteria? Is it compulsory to have for getting the working visa? Or if someone decides to hire me than it won't be a huge problem?
icnif77:
As I remember, you had to return to your home country for the 1st Z visa. After that, it was possible to pick-up Working visa at Hong Kong's Wanchai Chinese Embassy.
If you'll get caught by authorities (PSB) working in China on any other than Z visa, you'll be getting very short must-exit-China time ... a week the longest!
I want to say, it doesn't matter on what kind of visa you are in China. Only Z visa makes you legal worker by Chinese law, so advice is don't do it, i.e. work on family visa. I haven't tried that, so I really don't have any experience with working in China on wrong visa.
Chinese always had a eye on laowai residing in China, and now must be even worse than in my time, 5 - 15 years ago. I exited China for good in 2017.
What type of job would you be looking for? Teaching?
If it's something other than teaching I'm not saying it's impossible but be aware that China ( like a lot of countries) has a policy of not hiring foreigners if there are Chinese people able to do the job.
It's absolutely not teaching. English is not my native language and I would like to have a job in the field of engineering. Of course I know that my chances are very low, however I don't want my husband to give up the job offer and I just want to give it a try. That's why I am so curious about the 2 year rule. Because if it's a very strict and solid rule, than I don't have much choice and just won't get a working visa. But if it's not that solid than I might have a chance, even if it's not much. I don't plan working on a family visa, I don't want to illegally work in China, but I thought maybe after a few interviews they are more likely to give me a Z visa if I am already in that country. But it seems to me now that it doesn't really makes any difference if I have to come back to my country for applying the Z visa.
Stiggs:
There are foreign engineers working in China, but they are often sent there by their company overseas. It would probably be difficult to get a job without having a lot of experience as an engineer already.
You said your Chinese is very good though, have you considered looking into translating work? It might even be something you could do online which might allow you to get around the working on a spouse visa thing (but you'd need to check on that).
icnif77:
Yeah, I'd say better to get a job contract while you're still home ... and than apply and complete all paperwork at Chinese embassy.
I was advising and I have working-China experience only as an English (non-native, he he) teacher. At other professions might be different, but still I'd say is better to secure a job before you come to China.
Good luck!
Teaching English in China Requirements for 2022 (chinabyteaching.com)
This link will answer your visa questions. There is NOT a requirement for two years experience to be a teacher in China.
If you come with your husband under a different visa, make sure you have all the required documentation to get a Z visa when you find a job in China. It will make your life much easier.
To work in China, you MUST have a Z visa and only a Z visa.
emily93706:
Thank you for your answer, but I am not a native English speaker, so I don't consider teaching English in China.
as the others have said, if you want to work in China, make sure you have a job offer that includes the right visa.
Don't be suckered into working for any company that tells you you don't need the correct visa or that it is ok to work on a tourist/spouse visa.
It is not right for you to enter the country with anything other than the correct work visa if it is your intention to work.
Don't be suckered by companies that tell you that they will 'change the visa once you are there.'
they are lying to you and this could lead to you being exploited - and such companies will exploit you.
in extreme scenario it could also impact your husband who is there to work legally and deportation.
do a job search in the city you are going to before you travel - search engines are good for this.
good luck
When I first came to China to teach in 2016 the visa rules were very different. Back then I'd say upwards of 75% of us were teaching on tourist visas. This meant that every 60 days we'd have to take the "Hong Kong Highway" to leave the country and return with freshly stamped visa. That's history. The 2-years experience "rule" is just a thing some employers put into the job requirements to keep out the touristy kids.
Stiggs:
That might have been the case where you are but I certainly didn't know of any school or city where 75% of teachers were on tourist visas, not back in the day and especially not as late as 2016.
icnif77:
F (Business) visa was much better, i.e. longer than Touristy one ... and very easily obtainable with possibility of in-China extension without required exit.
I came to China only the first time with 30-days L, which was changed to 3-months F in the city of employment (Hangzhou, of course!) and so on ... Year 2009 or 10.
Your employer was happy though 'cause you took care of L visa by yourself. To obtain F, employer needed a lot of guanxi and for Z visa employer must have special .gov authorization, which many training mills at that time didn't bother to get.
The fact is, working in China with wrong visa all blame for illegal work falls on the teacher and none on the employer, so everyone wiser should make an employer take care of her's/his visa.
