Work/Student/Tourist visa?

[endrehk]

Hey!

First, sorry if similar questions have been answered already. I had a quick look, but couldn't find any posts answering all these questions.

I am third year student, graduating from a British university in June. I am 25 years old and I have a few years of work experience before I started university. I am also currently doing a 120-hour TEFL course online, which I should finish sometime this summer. So far, so good!

My problem is that my girlfriend is going to China (Beijing) on her year abroad. As I've always wanted to learn Mandarin myself, I thought it would be a good idea to join her, and I applied to Beihang University. However, I don't have a lot of money and I will have to work if I am to survive a year in China. Many have told me that this is no problem, and that there will be plenty of teaching/tutoring jobs I can get when I arrive. Unfortunately, the rules seem to have changed and while the jobs might be there, I will not be allowed to get one Again ,people have told me not to worry as I can go on a tourist or student visa and simply change it when I get a job. This will involve going to Japan/Korea in the meantime. And again, the rules seem to have changed: now I have to go back to my home country to change my visa. I called the embassy, but they could not answer the question. Apparently it is up the local police department to decide...

So what should I do? I know I could apply for a job at a language school, get them to sort my visa and everything would be fine! Except, I am not a native English speaker, and the majority of language schools will only sort out visas for applicants from English speaking countries. I am sure there are exceptions to this, but I might not find one until I am already in China. And at that point, who would be willing to send me home to Norway just to sort my visa and hire me?

Any advice would be helpful! But some questions I really hope you can answer is: Is it REALLY illegal to work on a student visa in China? And if yes, how often is this clamped down on?

Do you know if I actually have to go back home to change my visa? And; are there any language schools you know of that I can apply to?

Thanks!

Endre

[abcdefg]

But some questions I really hope you can answer is: Is it REALLY illegal to work on a student visa in China? And if yes, how often is this clamped down on?

It is definitely illegal, but it is still sometimes done. There are periodic crackdowns during which the rules are enforced more strictly and this past year there were even well-publicised "roundups" of foreigners working illegally in Beijing.

Don't know for sure about having to return to your home country to change from a student visa to a work visa, but I do think that's the way it is usually done if changing from a tourist visa to a work visa. Not at all convenient.

Your written English is excellent. If your spoken English is as good, you should not have a problem finding part-time teaching work. Best bet might be arranging something informal through Beijing friends after you arrive.

[endrehk]

Thanks! Yeah, I had a feeling that would be case, the Chinese government seems to be limiting the flow of Western workers into the country these days. It's just unfortunate for me, a few years ago this would've been so much easier

Anyway, I guess I just have to apply to as many jobs as I can before I go. At this point I'm determined to go to China, whether I'll end up in Beijing or somewhere else, and apparently it is easier for non-native English speakers to get jobs outside of Beijing/Shanghai. But that will keep my girlfriend and I apart for almost two years. Grrr

[Saxondale]

It's actually quite easy:

1. apply for a 1 year language course

2. once accepted, apply for a student visa in your country.

3. once you arrive, your university will change it into a temporary residence permit, which pretty much gives you unlimited entries for the duration of the permit. if you apply for a 6 month course, you'll most likely get a single entry 6 month f visa, which isn't the best thing if somethings comes up and you have to leave the country.

you shouldn't be working, it's illegal but people do it. the standard 3 jobs we get offered are to model, teach or play music at some sort of apartment opening...you can definitely get enough money from it.

how about doing the legal thing and applying for a scholarship? that will cover all your costs.