Z-Visa Legitimacy Question

[Jon E]

Hi Everyone, It's great to be on this forum!

 

I just signed a contract with a kindergarten in Beijing and I'm currently in the possess of obtaining a z-visa before flying over to China.  I have two questions and I'm hoping this forum can help...

 

1) I've read this story about a teacher who got a z-visa, but didn't realize that it was for another kindergarten (different sponsor).  Long story short, the police raided his school and he was deported for working illegally.  It's a bit scary to think that you are trying to follow the law, but can still be deported because the school got you an illegitimate z-visa.

 

 My questions is, before I fly to China, is there any way I can know for sure that the kindergarten that hired me is providing a legit z-visa, and not one sponsored by another company?  I've heard there is a SAFEA list of companies that can hire foreigners, but I haven't been able to find one for 2015.

 

2) For the first couple months, the company wants me to work as a substitute teacher at their three different locations in Beijing.  These three schools are all company owned, and not franchises (as far as I know).  Is it legal to substitute teach at different locations owned by the same company?

 

Thanks, Jon

[zhouhaochen]

1) If you are handling the visa application yourself (as in you are going to the PSB etc.) and speak Chinese (or have someone who does), you can check the name of the company that is inviting you on that document (in Chinese only). If it is different than the invitation is from another company. There is no list of companies that are allowed to hire foreigners. Theoretically any company is allowed to do so, the question is if they can prove the need.

 

2) Working in different offices of the same company is legal. Depends on how they are registered though (I assume your employer would be very hesitant to provide these details to you and you might have a bit of trouble following them too - in addition to being quite complex, Chinese bureaucracy is mainly very arbitrary).

 

Personally, I would not worry about it too much though, the chances of this becoming a problem are probably quite small (though for the guy who wrote the blog clearly it did happen, which I found quite surprising).