Expat Packages

[thechamp]

Are these as much of a thing as they used to be? I’m talking about the well paid (accommodation included) packages for Western professionals to go and work in China.

i would have thought as the local workforce is increasingly educated - and cheaper - that these are starting to disappear?

Do people in China still have friends or people they know on these kinds of packages? I remember meeting an Italian guy who was making effectively 70,000 Euros a year, tax-free, and had his accommodation paid too - for essentially working as an electrical engineer in a factory in a 3rd tier city. I just can't imagine companies are making those offers anymore?

[vellocet]

70k isn't that great for an electrical engineer.  He still gets to pay his Chinese taxes on that.  

 

In answer to your question, no, expat packages still exist, but nothing like they used to be.  China used to be a real hardship posting, and you had to kick people to get them to agree to live there for a year or three.  Now, with Beijing/Shanghai basically just like back home, it's not so much of a hardship post.  

[889]

"Now, with Beijing/Shanghai basically just like back home . . . "

 

Hardly. Hardly at all. China remains an exceptionally alienating place for the average expat, without a special interest in China.

[ChTTay]

24 minutes ago, 889 said:

without a special interest in China.

I know someone who is here just for the money and is leaving Beijing for it being “too Chinese” ??

[imron]

7 hours ago, vellocet said:

Now, with Beijing/Shanghai basically just like back home,

Fact check: False

 

[Brian US]

I'm a little late to this discussion, but I'm on an expat assignment with my company. It's definitely on an "as need basis" where they are willing to pay the extra expenses. You will most likely need to be hired outside of China to get the higher salary.

 

Our upper-management expats are sent to Hong Kong where they aren't needed in China 100%.

[DavyJonesLocker]

On 11/8/2019 at 11:22 PM, ChTTay said:

I know someone who is here just for the money and is leaving Beijing for it being “too Chinese” ??

 

 

Isn't that most expats working in professional jobs? 

[ChTTay]

Perhaps here for the money but, in my experience, most people I know still like China or Beijing at least. It’s rare I meet someone who has been here a while and hates it 

 

I might just be good at picking friends though 

[Brian US]

14 hours ago, ChTTay said:

It’s rare I meet someone who has been here a while and hates it 

 

I know a couple expats just doing their time (not hating it, but not enjoying it), and are mostly just at home or work. 

 

On another note, I feel there is a decent amount in the expat community you just never see since they live in a housing community closer to the suburbs, and have a driver to take them everywhere.

 

That was the case for some of my family on a 2-year expat assignment in Beijing. Housing community halfway to the airport in the Northeast, and kids had their private school nearby. The only time you would see them is if they went into the city to shop on the weekend.

 

 

[ChTTay]

8 hours ago, Brian US said:

Housing community halfway to the airport in the Northeast, and kids had their private school nearby

There’s a lot more stuff out here now. You don’t need to go to the city so much but also you see a lot more people around as there are things to do.