Legal part-time work (ESL, chiefly) on CSC/Confucius Institute scholarhsips (X1/X2 visa holders)

[JinJin4]

Oct. 17th, (Oct. 25th confirmation) Update: It's illegal to work and get paid under a bilateral government CSC scholarship (a clause within the contract indicating such circumstances), internship and volunteering is possible (in theory). Source; my friend who had the experience


Hey, everyone!

My first post here - being a non-native English teacher who's willing to give the CSC non-degree programme and Confucius Institute scholarships a try for the next 2017/2018 year batch, I am very interested in learning about the possibility of doing legal part-time work (as an ESL teacher, mainly) whilst holding one of the aforementioned scholarships. (actually, that's the main factor of influence...

I'm currently preparing my HSK exam (which is probably going to be lvl 2, as there are slim chances of me getting a Conf. scholarship anyway...) just to have something to add to the application documents when the time comes for CSC registration, but I will definitely abandoned the idea of application altogether if I cannot find part-time work during my studies, as I have a family and would like to bring them over at some point during my stay and cannot afford to live there without any means of making income. Probably couldn't initiate the visa applications for bringing them over if I don't have means of funding their residence, right?!

Does anyone have any information or experience with this? I'm interested in the general situation, nationwide, don't need region/province-specific details at this point.

I have tried searching for it on the web, but without any luck. (tried here first but came out with nothing... http://www.csc.edu.cn/laihua/programsearchen.aspx and http://en.csc.edu.cn/; this was somewhat insightful but doesn't cover scholarship-covered students http://lawandborder.co/faq-new-china-visa-law/#14_What_work_authorization_and_internship_opportunities_are_available_to_foreign_students_with_residence_certificates_for_study)

Any feedback will be deeply appreciated, thanks!

Edited October 27, 2016 at 07:02 PM by JinJin4

[Angelina]

I have never met an international student on a scholarship legally employed in China while studying. There have been some changes in Chinese law, but I have not seen it implemented. 

 

Hope it helps. 

[Shelley]

Have you looked into bringing your family? Is it possible?

[JinJin4]

Thanks for the feedback, Angelina!

Ah, yes, I believe you didn't - most of the people I know who are in China (regardless of the way in which their studies are funded) don't bother to go through the procedures of legalizing the jobs, however, most of them were in China 2+ years before the eligibility of students for part-time jobs....

Shelley, actually, I did not, but believe it is reasonable to think that it is possible, as long as you have a residence permit and enough money and/or a source of income.
 

[Angelina]

most of them were in China 2+ years before the eligibility of students for part-time jobs

 

 

​I am not sure if being eligible means that if you try you can get it done.

 

 

don't bother to go through the procedures

 

 

I bothered to ask, but both the place where I study and the place where I get my residence permit(s) keep telling me it is not possible. 

[Shelley]

I would check, you might think its reasonable, that doesn't mean its possible.

[Angelina]

Alternatively, you can become an e-Resident of e-Estonia, and work legally. 

 

http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/future_tense/2015/06/estonia_digital_citizenship_i_am_an_e_resident_of_a_country_i_ve_never_been.html

 

Still, this is China, you have to double-check before considering this option, just a suggestion. 

[JinJin4]

​I am not sure if being eligible means that if you try you can get it done.

Yes, that is what I meant - being able to do it, in theory at least...

 

I bothered to ask, but both the place where I study and the place where I get my residence permit(s) keep telling me it is not possible.

 

I think you had tough luck then, as of 2013, foreign students are allowed to legally work (part-time work and internships off campus) in China on a X1 visa.
https://www.travelchinaguide.com/embassy/visa/student.htm

 

I would check, you might think its reasonable, that doesn't mean its possible.

Agreed!
I checked it just now, it's possible - spouses and immediate family members should apply for an S visa, 1 or 2, depending on your personal duration of stay.
Proof of financial stability and/or income is required as part of the documentation. https://www.travelchinaguide.com/embassy/visa/private-visit.htm
Checked the local consulate website (in Serbia) same thing....

 

Alternatively, you can become an e-Resident of e-Estonia, and work legally.

Sorry, I don't quite understand - why would i want to do that? Start a business of my own in China using the means you have pointed out?

[JinJin4]

 

I bothered to ask, but both the place where I study and the place where I get my residence permit(s) keep telling me it is not possible.

Angelina, do you hold/have held a scholarship at that time?

[roddy]

Go to bed, Angelina, you're drunk.

 

If you're looking at 17/18 there's a possibility things will change. But I'd work on the assumption you won't be able to work in an entirely legal manner. 

[JinJin4]

@roddy

Excuse me, where's my last post? Written it a couple of hours ago..is the site working properly or are you still looking through it?
Thanks!

[Angelina]

I have considered all options because I do not want to work illegally. 

 

Let's hope that things change, most importantly, the attitude of undocumented workers themselves. 

 

 

According to three immigration lawyers consulted by Mother Jones, even unpaid employment is against the law for foreign nationals who do not have a work visa. "If the US company is benefiting from that person, that's work," explained Anastasia Tonello, global head of the US immigration team at Laura Devine Attorneys in New York. These rules for immigrants are in place to "protect them from being exploited," she said. "That US company shouldn't be making money off you."

 

 

http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/08/donald-trump-model-management-illegal-immigration

[LinZhenPu]

JinJin, I'm not sure that you'll be able to make enough money to support your family while in China even if you were able to get a part-time job and bring them over.

How big is your family? Your wife, yourself and one child? Have you worked out a budget? How are you planning to give them a roof over their head, by having them live in the student dormitory with you? Which probably isn't allowed anyway. How will you have enough money to rent an apartment good enough for them to stay with you?

Perhaps I'm being a bit too pessimistic, maybe it would be entirely possible with just a CSC/Confucius institute scholarship plus a part time job. But to play devil's advocate here, I think it's important to consider all the variables to make sure it's actually a viable plan. 

[vellocet]

Student visas only allow work related to your education.  You can't just get a job at an ESL training center with a student visa.  What you can do is teach English illegally, just like everyone else does.  

[JinJin4]

*UPDATE* Through a friend of mine who actually got the CSC for a non-degree language program back in 2014, it is illegal to work and get paid whilst being under a CSC scholarship. (had I asked him earlier, I'd probably would never start this thread in the first place...)

 

 

JinJin, I'm not sure that you'll be able to make enough money to support your family while in China even if you were able to get a part-time job and bring them over.

How big is your family? Your wife, yourself and one child? Have you worked out a budget? How are you planning to give them a roof over their head, by having them live in the student dormitory with you? Which probably isn't allowed anyway. How will you have enough money to rent an apartment good enough for them to stay with you?

Perhaps I'm being a bit too pessimistic, maybe it would be entirely possible with just a CSC/Confucius institute scholarship plus a part time job. But to play devil's advocate here, I think it's important to consider all the variables to make sure it's actually a viable plan.

Actually followed up with an answered but I think it's not going to show up, got signed out of the forums while I was AFK.

Don't worry, I got all those bases covered enough to be able to go ahead and do it all... You're not pessimistic, what you said sounds like something any informed, conscientious person would say on those matters. Thanks for the feedback! *Definitely, as soon as I clicked "post" this popped up, my previous reply to you seems to be voided...

Edited October 17, 2016 at 11:38 AM by JinJin4

[LinZhenPu]

CSC for a non-degree language program back in 2014, it is illegal to work and get paid whilst being under a CSC scholarship. 

Where did your friend get this information?

[roddy]

There's no specific law for a CSC scholarship. There may well be scholarship rules (which is fair enough. As far as the CSC is concerned, they're either handing out *full* scholarships, or you're stating you have the funds necessary). The *illegal work * bit applies to everyone who isn't on a *work* visa. 

[JinJin4]

There's no specific law for a CSC scholarship. There may well be scholarship rules (which is fair enough. As far as the CSC is concerned, they're either handing out *full* scholarships, or you're stating you have the funds necessary). The *illegal work * bit applies to everyone who isn't on a *work* visa.

I see..Yes, he himself didn't say that it a "law" - again, why do you mention "illegal work", X1 visa holders can work part-time under certain conditions (refer to the links above). My friend got a full scholarship, AFAIK.

 

 

Where did your friend get this information?

Not sure, either from his uni foreign student affairs/scholarship office or in the documentation he had to sign after getting the scholarship. Sent him a message on WeChat, waiting for his reply.

[roddy]

If you know of anyone who's managed to fulfill those certain conditions and get paid work, do let us know. At the moment it seems to be very rare.

 

Edit: And I suspect those who manage it will be, ie, medical students working for 20Y an hour gaining hospital experience, rather than language students making Y150 teaching English. 

[JinJin4]

 

If you know of anyone who's managed to fulfill those certain conditions and get paid work, do let us know. At the moment it seems to be very rare.

 

Edit: And I suspect those who manage it will be, ie, medical students working for 20Y an hour gaining hospital experience, rather than language students making Y150 teaching English.

Hahahaha, that's a good one, I will!

I concur, although I do not have any personal experience or know of anyone with such, the main issue revolving around this type of predicament are the problems of de jure : de facto polarity within everyday PRC law upholding and actual circumstances - what does a legislation define to be done and what do real people actually do about it..China...