1. What are the requirements on foreign language teachers?

Policy interpretation:

According to the third requirement of the second item of classification standard of work permits for foreigners working in China issued by the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs, in principle foreign language teachers should be engaged in teaching of their mother tongue, obtain an academic degree of bachelor or higher and have language education experience of two years or more. The working experience requirements can waived for those who have obtained an academic degree of bachelor or higher in education, language or teacher training, or obtained a teacher qualification certificate in their country or an international language teaching certificate that meets the requirements.

Case 1: A, from the UK, has obtained a bachelor degree in the UK and has two years of related teaching experience. Now a training agency (established with the approval of the local education bureau and its schooling license is valid) plans to employ A as an English teacher. The training agency has applied for a notification of overseas permit via the “administrative service system for foreigners working in China”. After obtaining the work visa, it then proceeded with the work certificate. When the materials were complete, A finally obtained a work permit for foreigners.

Case 2: B, from Ukraine, graduated from some university of Ukraine with a bachelor degree and a TEFL qualification of 120 hours. Now a private kindergarten plans to hire B as an English teacher. The kindergarten has applied for a notification of overseas permit on the “administrative service system for foreigners working in China”. Since the mother tongue of B is not English but Ukrainian, so B does not meet the relevant requirements of English teachers. Thus the application was not approved in the end.

Case 3: C, from Brazil, graduated from the major of sports of some university of Brazil with a bachelor degree and has years of working experience as a PE teacher and holds an internationally admitted soccer coach qualification certificate. Now a public school plans to hire C as a soccer teacher and has applied for a notification of overseas permit on the “administrative service system for foreigners working in China”. After obtaining the work visa, the school proceeded with the work certificate. When the materials were complete, C finally obtained a work permit for foreigners.

Warm reminder: 

According to the answers of the frequently asked questions on the work permit for foreigners to work in China disclosed by the State Bureau of Foreign Experts Affairs in April 2017, the countries and regions where English is used as mother tongue or first language are as follows: Ascension, Australia, Bermuda Islands, British Antarctic Territory, British Indian Ocean Territory, Canada, the Falkland Islands (namely Malvinas Islands), Gibraltar, British Guernsey Island, Guyana (formerly known as British Guyana), Ireland, Isle of Man (British Irish Sea Territory), Jersey Island, New Jersey, Pitcairn Islands, Singapore, South Africa, British territories of Akorotiri and Dhekelia of Cyprus, South Georgia Islands and South Sandwich Islands, Saint Helena Island, Tristan da Cunha Islands, the UK, the US, the United States Virgin Islands, Antigua and Barbuda, Anguilla, Bahamas Islands, Barbados Island, British Virgin Islands, British Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Jamaica, Montserrat, St Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands.

Every employer should abide by the rules strictly and hire foreign language teachers and teachers of subjects that meet the national standards.

2.Can the applicant change the visa location after obtaining a notification of overseas 

Policy interpretation:

After an applicant obtains the notification of overseas permit, the relevant information will be sent to the corresponding embassy through the “administrative service system for foreigners working in China”, so the information cannot be changed. The applicant shall go to the visa location submitted to the system to proceed with the work visa with the embassy. The visa location cannot be altered. If the applicant needs to change the visa location, the applicant has to cancel the current notification of permit and apply for a new one while altering the visa location.

Case 1:A, from Australia, obtained a notification of overseas permit after gaining an approval. The visa handling location applied for by the employer on the “administrative service system for foreigners working in China” was the general embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Sydney. Afterwards, for personal reason, A wished to proceed with the work visa with the Commissioner’s Office of the People’s Republic of China in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Since the Commissioner’s Office in Hong Kong could not get the relevant information of the applicant, it could not handle the visa for A and thus refused the request. Finally, the applicant proceeded with the work visa at the location specified in the original application.