health insurance required for work visa?

[Xiao Kui]

I'm signing on with an English school in Kunming, and among the documents that they wanted in order to arrange a work visa was a copy of my U.S. health insurance card. I got a work visa several years ago and wasn't asked to provide this. (Actually I don't even have U.S. health insurance) Has anyone else been asked for this? Is this a new requirement for work visas? Thanks!!

[Rincewind]

I have been asked to show health insurance too. They first asked last December when the police did a spot check at my school and they asked again when I renewed my residency permit last month. So far my assistant has managed to dodge past it somehow.

[Senzhi]

This is new to me, and I didn't encounter it so far.

In my country (Belgium) you can only have health insurance when you are working in Belgium. Working abroad, we are not entitled to any health insurance and must seek health insurance in the country we work. So, in my case, it would be disastrous, for I haven't worked in my country for the past 8 years.

As I'm sure each country has different regulations, I'm not convinced China can implement such a request under bilateral agreements. Could it be country specific?

[BrandeX]

It feels like they are pulling fast one on you. Any reputable school will provide health insurance for you while you work there, you shouldn't have to provide your own.

[Senzhi]

Any reputable school will provide health insurance for you while you work there, you shouldn't have to provide your own.

I second that ... at least as far as mentioning it in the contract.

[Rincewind]

To be clear Senzhi, this is not something requested by the embassy and is only indirectly related to the visa application. When applying for your "Certificate of Foreign Expertise" or "employment permit" from the State Administration of Foreign Experts of China, they ask the school to show that health insurance has been covered as one of the conditions of issuing the certificate/permit. This certificate/permit is one of the documents you will probably need to take to the embassy or the PSB when applying for your visa or residency permit. The rules for how to get a "Certificate of Foreign Expertise" can vary somewhat from one province to another and has nothing to do with bilateral agreements between countries.

IMHO, the school should provide this for you but they wont want to take out a policy months before you have arrived in China. They'll try to dodge round it by asking if you currently have insurance and use that for the initial application.

It should be noted that although the school should provide some health cover, it will be minimal if they do really do it. You should ask your school directly what cover, if any, they have provided for rather than leave things to chance. Even then, you should get additional cover yourself that includes cover for expenses such as repatriation to your homeland in critical conditions.

[Senzhi]

That clarifies it all: It's the school who requests this, and not the government. But then how can you clarify the PSB investigating in your case? Just show them the contract where it mentions your employer provides health insurance. Whether they do it or not, is not really your problem (at least not directly), but the employer's.

I agree with additional insurance. But that would be in any country with any health insurance provided by any employer.

[Rincewind]

That clarifies it all: It's the school who requests this, and not the government.

It's the "State Administration of Foreign Experts of China" that asks for it so it is the government.

But then how can you clarify the PSB investigating in your case? Just show them the contract where it mentions your employer provides health insurance. Whether they do it or not, is not really your problem (at least not directly), but the employer's.

The PSB ask me because I am my employer. I run my own school in conjunction with another headmaster. So for me the question as to whither I pay or the school pays is academic. Both ways round I pay.

[Senzhi]

Rincewind, thanks for explaining. Your situation seems to be a little different from Xiao Kui's. From his post I understand he's going to be employed, not self-employed.

However, I'm still convinced that foreign (= outside China) personal health insurance is nobody's business inside China, except (of course) medical authorities in case of an issue.