| Teaching English in China won't get you rich, but it's | | | | of the world, which bring together the schools and the |
| guaranteed to provide you with an exceptional | | | | candidates for several days of interviewing. Once |
| opportunity to experience the Chinese culture, to travel, | | | | registered, the candidate who wants to teach abroad |
| make friends, learn some Mandarin, and also provide | | | | has the option to attend one or more of the |
| you with a means to live abroad for an extended | | | | recruitment fairs being held by the agency. These may |
| length of time. Interested? If you're between the ages | | | | be attended by as few as 20 international schools or |
| of 18 and 60, in relatively good health, flexible and | | | | as many as 120. The ratio of candidates to schools |
| adventurous, the prospects of landing a teaching job | | | | can be anywhere from 1:3 to 1:6, although in recent |
| will be, in most cases, easier than you would think. | | | | years the number of candidates has dwindled while |
| Presently, there are over 400 million Chinese learning | | | | the number of schools in attendance has increased - |
| English due to the government's push to make English | | | | all good news for the international candidate interested |
| its second language. Universities, colleges, grade | | | | in teaching in China or elsewhere. |
| schools through high schools all have their English | | | | These job fairs are usually intense, three-day events |
| departments, and they are always in search of native | | | | where the agency will match the needs of the schools |
| English speakers to add to their faculty. In addition, | | | | to candidates' qualifications for teaching abroad. If a |
| there are legions of privately owned English language | | | | specific school is interested in your candidacy, you will |
| institutions continuously on the lookout for hiring English | | | | be called for an interview. One clear advantage in |
| teachers for either daytime or evening courses. And | | | | attending a recruitment fair is that most candidates |
| finally, China hosts nearly a hundred international | | | | manage to be interviewed by representatives of at |
| schools that serve the expatriate communities, and | | | | least three or four overseas schools. Moreover, many |
| English is the language of choice at most of these | | | | schools fill a significant portion of their international |
| schools. | | | | teaching jobs with candidates they have interviewed |
| Before you pack your bags and catch the next | | | | at a recruitment fair. |
| freighter to Shanghai, it would be prudent to investigate | | | | If you're not a licensed teacher, there are still many |
| your full options online. Pay and benefits widely differ, | | | | opportunities for landing a job teaching in China. As |
| depending upon as many factors as toiletries you'll be | | | | mentioned before, Chinese schools are always |
| tucking into your duffel bag. Salaries range from US | | | | seeking native English speakers, and having few or no |
| $300. per month at small colleges and peak at | | | | credentials usually isn't a set-back. Again, many schools |
| $30,000-40,000 per year at international schools, | | | | will provide you with a comfortable apartment, health |
| depending upon your experience and teaching | | | | insurance, a tax-free salary, and a reimbursed plane |
| certifications. Almost all of the schools provide their | | | | ticket. |
| foreign English teachers with tax free salaries, free | | | | You may choose to make arrangements through a |
| accommodations, airfares, and basic health insurance. | | | | language and culture exchange program that acts as |
| Teaching contracts range from 3 months to 2 years. | | | | a recruiting agency and offers training, travel |
| Why the huge range in salaries and benefits? | | | | assistance and networking opportunities. Your teaching |
| It largely depends upon the type of school in which you | | | | salary would fall between 3,000 to 6,000. RMB |
| are seeking employment. It also depends upon your | | | | ($350.-$700. USD) per month, depending upon your |
| qualifications and skills. | | | | education and experience, which would put your |
| The cream of teaching prospects in China would be | | | | earnings far above the average Chinese teacher's |
| the international schools. Most of them were | | | | salary of 1,000. RMB ($120. USD) per month. With your |
| established during the past ten years and were | | | | basics covered, such as accommodations and medical |
| founded by western corporations desiring to offer their | | | | insurance, you can live fairly comfortably if you shy |
| expatriate employees a school for their children to | | | | away from western restaurants and shopping at |
| attend as they are living abroad. International schools | | | | pricey department stores. |
| allow families to continue living together when one or | | | | For the do-it-yourselfers out there, you may wish to |
| both parents are asked to come to China in order to | | | | already be in China while you're looking for a teaching |
| further their employer's business interests. Conversely, | | | | position. Bring application materials with you. You can |
| the presence of international schools make that city an | | | | enter China with an "L" Tourist Visa. These 3 month |
| attractive prospect for investment by foreign | | | | visas can often be obtained via a travel agency or |
| companies seeking to locate and invest in China. | | | | through a Chinese Embassy or Consulate and usually |
| Typically, parents of children in international schools are | | | | cost between $30. to $50. USD. Since you're buying a |
| technical, general or financial managers who remain | | | | tourist visa, it is advised that you don't mention that you |
| overseas for 2-5 years. The international schools allow | | | | will be working in China. Once you have secured a |
| the children of these families to reintegrate without | | | | teaching position, the school or university will exchange |
| difficulty into their home country education system. | | | | your tourist visa for a "Z" one year working visa and a |
| Many of the schools offer an American, Australian or | | | | Residence Permit and take care of the necessary |
| British education. | | | | paperwork. |
| Most of these schools offer a great salary and benefit | | | | Before you hit the pavement in search of a teaching |
| package, a comfortable apartment that is rent-free, | | | | gig in China, it's best you understand the fundamentals |
| and flight and shipping reimbursements. For the most | | | | of the Chinese education system. There are major |
| part, salaries are competitive with what teachers | | | | differences in education between government and |
| would earn at home, yet due to the low cost of living in | | | | private schools and they may or may not effect your |
| China and the exclusion of tax deductions, teachers | | | | decision as to where you wish to seek employment. |
| can live very well! International schools seek | | | | The first and most important distinction between |
| professional educators with teaching certificates and | | | | government and private schools and education |
| experience; some prefer teaching couples, but that | | | | institutions is that the best institutions that attract the |
| varies. Husband and wife teams can easily sock away | | | | brightest Chinese students are nearly always |
| one of the spouse's full earnings and even more, all the | | | | government owned and operated. In China, there is |
| while experiencing travel and adventure. | | | | often a great deal of prestige attached to attending |
| If you're a licensed teacher looking for good pay and | | | | the best government schools, colleges and universities. |
| professional growth, I encourage you to investigate | | | | Private schools and institutions, on the other hand, |
| online the numerous international schools in China and | | | | cater to China's new rich. They are generally |
| query their headmasters as to what teaching positions | | | | perceived in China as being for students who have the |
| will be open in the near future. But don't wait until spring | | | | money but not necessarily the brains. |
| to begin searching. Most international schools expect | | | | Government teaching jobs give you quite a lot of |
| their teachers to notify them in January regarding | | | | flexibility, and usually only require you to teach fifteen |
| contract signing for the following year. A director of an | | | | to twenty hours per week; private schools have less |
| international school will most likely know what positions | | | | bureaucracy and may offer better benefits and |
| need to be filled for the next school year already in | | | | performance incentives. The next most important |
| January of the current year. | | | | distinction between government and private schools is |
| If you're interested in teaching at an international school, | | | | that teaching contracts usually stipulate in one form or |
| there are several organizations that screen and | | | | another that extra private teaching and tutoring is not |
| recommend candidates to teach abroad. You should | | | | allowed, but the fact remains that there is a chronic |
| register with one or more of these organizations. They | | | | shortage of quality English teachers in China, and if a |
| will process your application materials and present your | | | | foreign teacher wants to engage in private teaching |
| credentials to schools with opportunities to teach in | | | | outside of his or her existing duties, there is not much a |
| China. Generally a candidate wishing to teach abroad | | | | school can and will do about it. |
| registers with the agency and completes a series of | | | | I believe I've covered the basics; the bottom line is this: |
| forms, which, together with confidential | | | | If you are a foreign teacher in China, even if your |
| recommendations from former supervisors, make up | | | | wage is only 3000 RMB per month, you are still making |
| the candidate's file. These files may be forwarded to | | | | almost triple the monthly wage of the average |
| schools that require candidates for specific positions | | | | Chinese teacher. Plus you have your accommodations, |
| teaching overseas. | | | | health coverage and flights paid for. Combined with the |
| Throughout the year, these organizations host | | | | low cost of living, it is easy to make and save money |
| recruitment fairs for teaching overseas in various parts | | | | and have a great experience teaching in China. |