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has there been a change in the visa regs???

JanJal (1243 posts) • 0

As a non-native English speaker, not being a teacher nor a student, and as an outsider to the whole industry, I would value having a teacher that had to study the specific subject himself (and had provenly become proficient in it) rather than someone "born with it" - given that the two would come with equivalent credentials in teaching technicalities.

But I understand the Chinese law-makers do not see it this way.

Chinese education can be criticized for a lot, and language teaching here seems to be as much based on copying and repetition (rather than learnng to learn) as any other field.

GoK Moderator (5096 posts) • 0

Given that the Chinese students' primary/main English teachers are always Chinese they get the full on instruction. We should not forget that the role of the foreign English teacher is supplementary, an addition to the 'drill and kill' of rote learning (important for grammar and vocab/reading and writing), providing listening and speaking to a real person in a live setting.
Regulations in China also require that imported English teachers have a TESOL/TEFL qualification. In other words they do have a qualification in teaching English. I hear said that in some provinces/municipalities online TEFL certs. are no longer accepted.

kurtosis (86 posts) • 0

The new work visa regulations are quite odd anyway. They are simply not reflecting reality.

They give you more points for a master than a bachelor, regardless where it is earned. They give you more points if you've worked in Fortune 500 companies, even if you are working for a more prestigious institution that isn't a fortune 500 company.

But then again - they don't give you more points if you worked to earn an HSK6 vs. somebody who only holds an HSK5.

They do give you more points for work experience, but they deduct points if you're above 45.

But then they throw it all over board and give you the "A"-Badge right away if you've published at least 3 articles in respected academic journals.
And it was sold as a policy to simplify procedures...

But I guess discussing those policies is moot in a country where rule of law is still but a goal.

kurtosis (86 posts) • +3

I was still approached by some private schools for teaching English this year. As I'm neither a native English speaker nor qualified in any way for teaching, I'd say it's still common place for schools to hire unqualified teachers, yes.

JanJal (1243 posts) • +1

Certainly there is still huge underground market FOR unqualified teachers, because most "schools" know nothing about regulations governing foreign employees.

Take every art school for kids for example - they'd happily hire a foreigner to give some English classes on the side of their main business (art education), thus attracting more paying customers.

However, my impression is that foreigners themselves are nowadays more aware of the regulations, when they come to China.

So to answer the question, I think it is happening less than before, but no thanks to the employer side.

Liumingke1234 (3297 posts) • 0

There's a real shortage(qualified teachers). This is evident by the repeated reposting from the same schools asking for teachers. There seems to be a repeated re-post every week or two.

GoK Moderator (5096 posts) • +4

Perhaps these places are employing part time and not offering work visas. If so they may find it hard to attract ‘qualified ‘ teachers and retain them.
I know of qualified teachers who quit China a while back as every new year seemed to bring some new visa requirement and associated ass ache and cost. This seems to have reached a steady state now. Other people, like me, just quit teaching. The requirement for English teachers in China seems to be higher than that for subject teachers and lecturers. Although I stand to be corrected.

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