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Over one-third of Chinese people take English classes, and that means 300 million students. What a large class. The government can not fill the gap with Chinese teachers, so they welcome English teachers from foreign countries. You just need to be eligible and meet the requirements to immigrate and work in China as a teacher. This article brings you everything. 

Who is eligible to immigrate and work in China as a teacher?

Not everyone can immigrate and work in China as a teacher. You must be eligible and meet the qualification principles. 

Here are the criteria the Chinese government considers for teachers who want to immigrate and work in China as a teacher: 

Your Nationality

There are only seven approved countries whose nationals can be English teachers in China. You must have a valid passport from one of these countries so you can apply for a work visa or Z visa to move to China. 

  • UK, 
  • Ireland, 
  • US, 
  • Canada, 
  • Australia, 
  • New Zealand, 
  • South Africa

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Immigrate to China as a Teacher

Being a native English speaker 

English must be your mother tongue so you can immigrate and work in China as a teacher. Also, you must be fluent in English and speak it like a native speaker. 

Having a bachelor’s degree 

You must have a bachelor’s degree to be qualified. It’s a must, and the subject or your major doesn’t matter. You may teach English in China with any BA degree. You don’t need to study education or teaching. However, the BA degree must be eligible in your home country and approved by the education authorities. 

Having a TEFL certification

The applicant must have a verified TEFL or Teach English as a Foreign Language certificate. There are various certificates that you can, but they must be internationally recognized. 

  • TEFL – Teach English as a Foreign Language
  • TESOL – Teach English to Speakers of a Second Language
  • CELTA – Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages

The above certificates are for people who want to teach English as a second language or a foreign language. They are a bit different and are offered by different centers. However, all of them are accepted by the Chinese authorities.

If you want to teach another subject but not English, you don’t need a TEFL certificate.  

Having a clean record certificate

One of the requirements of a Z visa is to have a clean record certificate. You must get it from the police or related authorities in your home country and submit it along with the other supporting documents.  

Age requirement

Male teachers must be 18-60, and women must be 18-55 years old to be eligible. You can try your chance and apply if you qualify and are in the age range. But the first acceptance is with the education center or school. They might have different requirements like experience and being young. 

Pass the medical exam

You must be fit and healthy to enter China, and the government has determined a medical test to ensure it. The officials don’t want people to bring any disease to the country. 

Besides the general medical test, you will get tested for these items: 

  • HIV, 
  • hepatitis 
  • TB.  

The Chinese embassy or consulate has a list of approved medical centers. You can visit one of them to take the test. 

Immigrate and work in China as a teacher benefits 

There are pros and cons of immigrate and work in China as a teacher, but now that you have entered this page, you think the pros outweigh the cons, here are some of the benefits of moving to China as a teacher: 

Excellent teaching career opportunities

It will be a great mark on your resume to teach English in China. It indicates your diligence, level of knowledge, and qualification to be able to teach in China. Your ambition, hard work, flexibility, and being a proactive teacher are approved by teaching experience in China. 

Easy access to Asian countries 

China gives you great access to Asian countries and is considered a doorstep to them. You can visit many countries during short holidays and enjoy the wonders of this old continent. From Inia in the west to Korea, Japan, Thailand, and other countries, you have various options to choose from. 

While you have access to many countries, China is a wise county, and you need a lot of time to visit the famous destinations, let alone the country. 

Stable economy 

Unlike some Asian countries, the economic situation in China is stable. They are moving fast, and anyone in this world has heard about Chine goods and products. 

You can live with peace of mind and enjoy the other benefits. 

A large number of tourist attractions

China is a large county with one billion and 300 hundred million population. There are people from various cultures, religions, ethnicities, and lifestyles. You can enjoy visiting them, and you will never get bored. 

 There is always something to find about China and its rich culture. 

What visa do you need to immigrate and work in China as a teacher?

Every foreigner who wants to work in China needs a work visa or Z visa. It’s a single-entry visa with an unlimited duration of stay. When you get a work visa, you have 90 days to enter China and begin your work. Also, when you arrive in the country, you must register with the police in the first 30 days of arrival. 

The first requirement to get a China work visa is to get a work permit. To do so, you must find a Chinese employer who is willing to hire you. When you reach an agreement, you must sign a work contract with the employer. Then the employee or employer must apply for a work permit from the Chinese government. 

When you get the work permit, you must apply to the Chinese embassy or consulate in your home country for a work visa. 

The article on the right sidebar will guide you and give detailed instructions.  

Best cities to immigrate and work in China as a teacher  

A teaching opportunity in China is up to the demand and citation. But there is a better opportunity with large, industrial cities that hold a large number of foreign people. 

Also, the need for English teachers is larger in these cities that International people live there, and there is trading and business with foreign people. 

You can begin your search with these cities and use them as a keyword to narrow down your search to improve your chance of finding a job position. 

  • Hangzhou
  • Chengdu
  • Guilin
  • Nanjing
  • Harbin
  • Beijing
  • Shenzhen
  • Shanghai
  • Xi’an
  • Ningbo

Where do you get to teach in China?

There are various job positions for you when you immigrate and work in China as a teacher, and it’s up to the situation and demand. But these opportunities are common and are likely that you will find a teaching position with them: 

Public schools in China 

Various Chinese public schools hire teachers to train students in English communication skills; reading, writing, listening, and speaking. 

You, as a native English teacher, work with students to develop their comprehension skills, speaking, and listening. You are qualified with these criteria better than a Chinese teacher, and students get familiar with the accent and pronunciation better. However, the citation might require you to work on other skills as well. 

You might expect a call with 25-45 students and a large size class. The frequency and duration of the class are up to the school and its policy. There are male and female students, and the classes are from around 8 am-4 pm, but you have a break for lunch. 

Training centers in China 

Such centers provide classes for private language learners in the afternoons, evenings, and on weekends. These are the time frame in that people have free time to attend classes. 

You might not get a full Monday-Friday schedule class, and you might have gaps. 

The teaching positions vary, and you would better prepare yourself and gather information to teach well: 

  • SAT tutor
  • Formal or business correspondence 
  • TOEFL teacher
  • IETLS or other exams  
  • college counselor
  • Free discussion classes 
  • debate coach
  • Writing course 
  • public speaking coach

The age range of people varies, and you can have a 7-year-old student to an adult Chinese business person. 

International schools

 The range of subjects taught in an international school is more diverse than in public schools or training centers. The language of all majors is English, and math, science, business, and history, are all taught in the English language. So you would have a wider range of opportunities and teaching positions. 

You just need to be familiar with the courses and be able to teach them in English. 

There is a wider range of students as people from various countries send their children to these schools. 

Remember that the requirements and qualifications are tougher for international schools, and you have to compete with the best. But the perks and benefits can not be compared with the other two places to work. 

Are these the only job positions?

No. There could be other positions and opportunities for you in other places. You might find a job in a university, international company, with families r other types of schools. 

Private schools are a bit like public schools, with small differences. 

Pre-university schools are the other option. You can find a position with them. You can always help students prepare for international tests like IELTS and TOEFL or with fluency skills. 

Teachers’ salaries in China 

One point before telling you the salary is that when you receive your salary per month, the money will be deposited in the bank. The Chinese government will subtract the tax from it automatically, and you will be able to withdraw the money with paid tax. 

How much will you get when you immigrate and work in China as a teacher? Well, it’s up to various factors that you have to consider: 

  • Location 
  • Place you work 
  • Position 
  • Years of experience 
  • Qualification 
  • Certificate 
  • International work experience 
  • Age 
  • Gender 
  • Students’ satisfaction 
  • Years of experience with the school.

There are other factors, and the mentioned items are only samples. 

You can expect to earn about 10,000-15,000 RMB ($1,400-$2,100) in large cities like Beijing and Shanghai. 

Your salary is less in smaller cities like Nanjing, Hangzhou, and Xi’an, for about 8,000-12,000 RMB ($1,120-$1,680). 

If you work for an international student, you could expect to earn about 20,000-30,000 RMB ($2,810-$4,215). 

Experienced teachers are supposed to earn about 14,000-20,000 RMB ($1,960-$2,810). 

According to Salary explorer, a teacher earns about  21,400 CNY or 3.000 USD per month. The lowest payment is about 11,200 CNY, and the highest is 32,800 CNY.

According to payscale, the average payment of a teacher in China is about 247.000 CNY (34710) per year. 

A person working as a Teacher in China typically earns around 21,400 CNY per month. Salaries range from 11,200 CNY (lowest) to 32,800 CNY (highest).

What is a PU letter that teachers who immigrate and work in China must get?

It’s a letter that the Chinese employer who wants to hire you will write it. It’s the employment letter and the key to unlocking immigration and working in China as a teacher. 

When you apply for a job position, there is an online interview and questions. When the employer agrees to hire you, he/she will send the PR letter. If the teacher wants to apply for a work visa, he/she needs this letter as it’s part of the supporting documents. 

In case the employer applies for a visa, the teacher would better have the letter to show to the officials at the port of entry or for other cases. 

How to find teaching positions in China?

There are different ways to find a job when you immigrate and work in China as a teacher. But websites that advertise such jobs are one way to find a position. 

These are some of the most famous websites for finding a teaching position in China. You can go through them and try your chance. A well-defined resume and good working experience will catch the employer’s eye. 

  • Chinajob.com 
  • Chinasemester.com 
  • foreignhr.com
  • Echinacities.com 
  •  jobsitechina.com
  • Hiredchina.com 
  • Jobleadchina.com
  • Chinaexpat.cn
  • Pingwaijiao.com 
  • thebeijinger.com
  • echinacareers.com
  • linkedin.com

If you find it difficult to go through pages or just don’t have the time, you can get help from employment agencies: 

  • Reach To Teach, 
  • Teaching Nomad 
  • Set in China

They can guide you on good places to work and tips you can use to get the job offer. 

You can also search for international or private schools in different cities and contact them directly. 

Let’s sum up…

This article explains how you can immigrate and work in China as a teacher. It covered the eligibility principles and the people who can and can’t apply. The requirements and application got covered in detail. You will find answers to some FAQs here as well. 

If you have questions, write them down in the comment section. The Visa Library team will answer them right away. 

Frequently asked questions about immigration and working in China as a teacher

You must get a job offer from a school or education center.

Nom only eligible people from the countries mentioned in the article.

You need a Z visa or work visa. Find more information from the right sidebar.

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