F Visa for working

[daisychain]

Hi,

I am 22. I have been offered a teaching job in Beijing, and the employer has said that I should get an F visa (he didn't mention the Z visa but other employers have given me the excuse that it takes too long to sort out, or that I am too young to get one). I have heard that employers sometimes bring foreign teachers into the country on business or tourist visas because they can then get away without signing a contract until they have seen the teacher - so essentially the teacher is unknowingly flying half way around the world for a job interview, at which they might be rejected. However, this employer has offered me a contract, which I am happy with.

So my question is this:

With a signed contract and a business visa, do I have any kind of rights if the employer backs out? I don't want to be left several hundred pounds out of pocket and stranded in China if this doesn't work out.

Thank you for any help or advice you can give me!

[jbradfor]

Often to get a Z-visa you need a "foreign expert" certificate; I'm guessing that what you're effectively being told is that they don't think they can get one for you.

Back to your question, legally I'm not sure, practically I would think you have no recourse. You would want to what, sue them for breech of contract? You would really consider this, in China?

That said, if you're in China, with a visa, you could likely get another job teaching English pretty quickly, from all I hear.

[Hélène]

An F-Visa is issued for a period of less than six month and often issued for business, research or lectures, scientific and cultural exchanges, etc.(it does entitle you to legally work). Is that a long-term teaching contract we're talking about? More than six months? You will probably need an invitation letter from the host company.

The Z-Visa (extended stay, legal to work) is pretty hard to obtain because of the high requirements : you need to have the equivalent of a Benke (the Chinese bachelor's degree, which is about 4 years of university and two years of work experience... For this type of visa, the company usually takes care of it, and it can take up to three months to get it! But if you are 22 years old, I am thinking you don't have the requirements just yet...