Can I apply for a work visa while IN China?

[Shazmataz]

Hi, I am currently on an X1 Student visa that expires end of July. However I want to get a job teaching English after that. Does anyone know if I have to apply within my home country (Ireland) to get a Z visa and if it is mandatory I leave China?

 

 

[fabiothebest]

I never got a work visa and other people will comment after me, anyway reading the visa rules according to me you need to exit China, return to your country (Ireland), apply for a work visa and then go back to China once you got it. I don't think there's a way around it.

[mungouk]

I'm fairly sure that there are some who have reported on this forum that they got new visas in Hong Kong, without having to go back home.

 

Do some searching to check the details. 

[roddy]

If I recall correctly it's been done, but requires a trip to Hong Kong and you *must* ensure the invitation letter specifies Hong Kong, and not your home country. Not all local authorities will do that. Find an employer and see what can be done, but until you have your residence permit in hand I'd assume a trip home might be necessary.

[ChTTay]

Mmm ... I have got a Z visa within China without going to HK but it was a few years ago. I transferred from and L to a Z. I also transferred from a Z to an X. This was all without leaving China. 

 

However, when I tried to go from X to Z I was told it wasn’t possible. I heard it was because I had already transferred (from the original z to the x) and I also heard it just wasn’t possible to go from x to z. Who knows. 

 

Hong Kong is tricky. It used to be the place to go. Then there were a lot of reports about people being turned away and told to go to their own countries. After that there were still the odd reports about people being successful there. I guess the easiest way would be to find the job and email a visa agent down in HK to see if they could do it. 

[Brian US]

I didn't have to leave China for mine (I get it today)! I came in on a M 10-year (60 day stay) visa, and since I qualified for a "A application top-talent foreign national" that apparently was the reason I didn't need to leave (not even to Hong Kong).

 

However, like others have said, you will probably need to leave if you don't have several years of teaching experience.

[DavyJonesLocker]

 

2 hours ago, Brian US said:

didn't have to leave China for mine (I get it today)! I came in on a M 10-year (60 day stay) visa, and since I qualified for a "A application top-talent foreign national" that apparently was the reason I didn't need to leave (not even to Hong Kong).

 

I went from a X1 to a work visa about 2 years ago and I didn't have to leave China. I got a category A visa too (I assume that's what you mean Brian?) but I don't recall that being a reason why I didn't have to leave. However it could well have been,  but just no one mentioned it to me. Also I am not sure if its profession specific, most the guidance you see,  seems to be aimed at the education sector. 

 

Does you work visa state A 类?

[Brian US]

@DavyJonesLocker Yeah, mine says A类别, and the agency helping me said that because of this category, I didn't need to leave. This seems to be the difference then if most people need to leave?

 

I work in finance for an American manufacturer, and I think getting paid my US salary is what bumped it up.

[DavyJonesLocker]

@Brian US

Ok good to know. I think that must be it. I didn't need a police report either .

My process was pretty smooth except for my prevous employment history records. The investment bank I worked for has gone bust and further they wanted 10 years of records but in Europe they only keep records 5 years legally. My PhD and university name helped too. 

 I can't see any particular  advantage  having a category A though, although renewing it was much easier. Didn't do much apart from sign a form. 

I am told it's a good path to a green card but who knows.