how to tutor from your home in Beijing legally?

[bianfuxia]

Hi guys

Just wondering if anyone knows about tutoring from my home in Beijing legally. I'd like to be able to advertise my tutoring services so I need to be above board. The landlord is cool with the idea, so I guess the next hurdle is the legal one.

I'm not planning on having a tonne of students. Maximum is 10 students at a time, with 4-6 a more realistic number. The reaction of my Chinese friends is to tell me to forget registering all together, but I want to be as law abiding as possible. Not least because I'd like to advertise my whereabouts on my website and I'd hate for anyone to dob me in.

Does anyone have any advice at all?

Does anyone know what the consequences of being found to conduct a business from home are ?(albeit a very small scale one with only one employee being me)

Many thanks in advance for any thoughts, ideas, recommendations

[imron]

I think it will be hard to impossible to be completely legal. You could establish your own business (requires RMB 100,000 in registered capital to start up a wholly foreign owned company and you can be the sole employee) but to do that you'll need a business address which has to be in a building zoned for businesses (i.e. it will be difficult to use your home address for this - although some apartment complexes are zoned as both business and residential).

[imron]

Also, I think there may be certain restrictions on the type of educational businesses that foreigners are allowed to start up. You'd need to find out more info from the 工商局 however.

[roddy]

Long time no see!

Completely legal private tutor is, I fear, a bit of an oxymoron. Either you start a company, or you get yourself employed by one.

Not least because I'd like to advertise my whereabouts on my website and I'd hate for anyone to dob me in.

Chances of being dobbed in by someone who happens to see your website are very low. Neighbours who are having their 午休 disturbed by your students coming up the stairs or the 居委大妈 who's noticed dozens of new faces coming and going are much higher.

[bianfuxia]

Hi - thanks Imron and Roddy

Yeah, I've spent every day, for 7 weeks looking at dual use apartments in Beijing. You can imagine how my life has sucked this summer.

I'm worried that my competitors might decide to dob me in. What on earth do piano teachers do then? operate illegally?

Thanks again

[roddy]

Is this a potential full-time business, or a bit of money on the side? What visa are you actually on, and why are you in Beijing?

[imron]

What on earth do piano teachers do then? operate illegally?

Almost certainly - at least the ones operating from home anyway, as opposed to the ones teaching in schools/music shops etc.

[bianfuxia]

I am living here on a HK hui xiang zheng, and yes this is envisaged to be full time work. I figured I'd do this from home this year just while I'm getting settled back into BJ, then next year, operate legitimately with a proper rental space.

[roddy]

回乡证，nice.

You still need a company to be completely legit though, either yours or someone else's. Not sure if the process of setting up a company will be any easier.

[imron]

I figured I'd do this from home this year just while I'm getting settled back into BJ, then next year, operate legitimately with a proper rental space.

To be honest, if that's your plan, I'd try doing that initially and then start the company proper once things are settled.

[skylee]

You could establish your own business (requires RMB 100,000 in registered capital to start up a wholly foreign owned company and you can be the sole employee)

Wow. How much is it for locals? In HK it takes almost nothing to set up a company (currently the registration fee is HK$0 (plus a levy of HK$450), until 1 August).

[imron]

For a single shareholder company it is also RMB 100,000 in registered capital, but if there are multiple shareholders then the minimum is only RMB 30,000. It's worth noting though that this is registered capital, not a fee you are required to pay and don't get back, e.g. you are required to have a company bank account set up with this amount of money in it but the money is still yours to spend as required by your business (rent, wages, purchasing office furniture/equipment etc). There are also fees associated with actually registering the company, registering the company name, getting notarised confirmation that your business' bank account has the required capital and so on, but these are all relatively minor fees (not sure of the the exact amounts).

In Australia it's also relatively cheap to set up a company. It cost me AUD $462 in registration costs, and I could do it online in 30 mins, plus it only required AUD $1 of registered capital