Prophecy20 Posted February 11, 2014 at 09:42 PM Report Share Posted February 11, 2014 at 09:42 PM I really hope someone can help me. I'm from the UK, 27, one years experience in teaching adults English in Italy, and I have a TEFL certificate and a Foundation Degree (2 years full time). I'd like to go to China to teach English. My brother is already there and there are vacancies at the same school he works in. So I've been in contact with the headmaster of the school and he says that he can't get me a letter of invitation because I don't have a Bachelors Degree. It's very difficult to talk to anyone at this school as they don't speak much English and they're always really busy, plus the obvious time difference. I'm gutted, because I've been wanting to go there for ages. Even started learning the language! However, I don't understand the criteria. What do I need a Bachelors Degree for? A letter of invitation? Or the work visa itself? If so, why are there thousands of job adverts online from Chinese schools and companies who want a native English speaker for a year, but they don't require the applicant to have a Bachelors Degree? It seems like there are many many native english speakers out there without a Bachelors Degree. I wanted to come here and ask because every site I research online contradicts the last one. Thanks for any advice, help or suggestions. I'm really stuck and any help would be appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelley Posted February 12, 2014 at 10:28 AM Report Share Posted February 12, 2014 at 10:28 AM If your brother is actually there at the school you want to go to, can't he ask these questions for you? Having someone there must be an advantage. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prophecy20 Posted February 12, 2014 at 10:53 AM Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2014 at 10:53 AM Yep, if he were there this would definately be much easier. However he has had to return home to change his tourist visa for a work visa and he's in the process of getting that done now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelley Posted February 12, 2014 at 11:46 AM Report Share Posted February 12, 2014 at 11:46 AM Sorry your first post gave the impression he was there now. Maybe wait till he goes back? Really feel that having someone there would be the easiest way to answer your questions especially as you want to go to the same school. Hope it goes well for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prophecy20 Posted February 12, 2014 at 12:03 PM Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2014 at 12:03 PM Thanks for your help. Obviously it would be great if he were there, but it would make more sense to travel over together so I really just want to know how to get a letter of invitation without a Bachelors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliveloughlin Posted February 12, 2014 at 05:39 PM Report Share Posted February 12, 2014 at 05:39 PM Before I applied for my latest Z visa I was asked to show proof of my Bachelors degree. The lady told me that this was for the 'invitation letter'. You need the invitation letter before you can actually apply for the Z visa. I think the BA/BSc is a government requirement for teachers... Worth checking on Daves ESL as I think I have seen postings which say: "no BA/BSc required"...not sure how legit they are though. Btw: I applied for my Z visa in HK on Monday 10th Feb 2014...no issues there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prophecy20 Posted February 13, 2014 at 12:31 AM Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 at 12:31 AM Thanks Clive, that's really helpful. I spent most of the day on the phone to various Visa companies and consolates and job middle men. Not many of them know that you now need a BA for a letter of invitation, as seemingly the new legislation came into effect only in summer 2013. Did you travel to HK on a tourist visa and then change it to a work visa once there? Or don't you need a visa for HK? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prophecy20 Posted February 13, 2014 at 12:35 AM Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 at 12:35 AM And yeh I've seen the posts for Dave's ESL and i-to-i where they offer a year's employment without a degree. I reckon there must be something shady about those, and I've read that if there's any problems it's the foreigner who gets the blame and the agencies get away with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChTTay Posted February 13, 2014 at 02:11 AM Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 at 02:11 AM The requirement for a Bachelors degree is an attempt by the Government to ensure the quality of English teachers coming to China. This requirement, along with invitation letters etc is not really a new thing. Like many things in China, there is usually some room for flexibility (although not as much as there used to be). If you are willing to work somewhere off the beaten track, where few foreigners go to work or travel, they can sometimes bend the rules to allow you to work there if you don't meet one of the criteria (e.g. you are not over 25, no degree, don't have two years experience). This might be why some of those companies can offer jobs that do not require you to have a degree. In the past, i-to-i was partnered with "Aston English" and they were the schools you worked in. If you google them they have horrible reviews. I enjoyed my time working there though. Keep in mind, If you work on a tourist visa you will be working illegally. There is a chance you can be deported and banned from returning for a period of time (10 years). There may also be a hefty fine involved. Middle men and visa agencies just want your business. They have no interest in your life beyond getting you the visa you will pay them to get you. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aroberts42 Posted February 13, 2014 at 06:47 AM Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 at 06:47 AM Legally, you need a bachelor's degree to receive a work visa. In practice, however, there are many schools willing to hire people without them. Some will find some way to get you a work visa (pay the right people or just use a doctored copy of someone else's degree). So the initial paperwork will be questionable, but the work visa will be legal and everything will be good. Others will just hire you on a tourist or business visa. Remember, though, that this is illegal. You are free to come to China and stay here all you want on a tourist or business visa. You won't be in the country illegally, but you would be working illegally. Some people see this as an acceptable risk as the chances of being caught are very low, especially in smaller cities. But that is a risk you and the school will have to weigh. I would highly discourage you from coming over here to work in lieu of getting an education. The laws are always changing and you never know what will happen. You might get a school to hire you and think things are good and then everything go wrong. If you do decide to come over here before you get your BA, I hope you keep going to school online to finish you degree. Otherwise, if you were my sibling, I would encourage you to finish going to school at home, get your degree, and then come over. You're halfway done. Might as well finish. Better to be safe than sorry. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prophecy20 Posted February 13, 2014 at 10:45 AM Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 at 10:45 AM I definately don't want to get caught out working illegally... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChTTay Posted February 13, 2014 at 01:29 PM Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 at 01:29 PM " China wants a high standard of English teachers, it needs to start filtering through the net only those with a relevant English teaching certificate and a minimum amount of experience..." I was simply explaining the reasoning behind it. If China filtered too much, they'd run the risk of just not having teachers. I think they are just trying to set a minimum level on the assumption if you have a BA you at least have some intelligence. If you are still thinking about working on a tourist visa, you might also want to think about the position this puts you in with the school. If they don't pay you or make seemingly arbitrary decisions then they know you cannot do too much as you're working illegally. They may even decide to try it on because they know you don't have that right visa. You need quite a lot of trust in who you are working for. If you did get caught, it would be all on you, and not the school. You can usually transfer a Chinese visa within China depending on circumstances. You can usually only make one transfer before you have to just leave and get a new visa. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChTTay Posted February 13, 2014 at 01:32 PM Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 at 01:32 PM "Some people see this as an acceptable risk as the chances of being caught are very low, especially in smaller cities. " Actually, the only person I have heard of (who I have met or my friends friend etc) that has been deported was in a small city. When I lived in Yinchuan there was a foreigner working on an F visa in a school. He managed to avoid the PSB for a while once he knew they were on to him but eventually they came to his school and took him away. They booked him on the next plane to the UK and banned him from returning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prophecy20 Posted February 13, 2014 at 01:34 PM Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 at 01:34 PM Good to know about the visa transfer in-country. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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