A good deal of unnecessary confusion is created by too many Foreign Affairs Office and other responsible management personnel, both Chinese and Western, not understanding the true extent and nature of China's visa system. Much misunderstanding and harsh dialogue has ensued between many a FE and management because of this, creating mistrust and poor human relations situations. This has also resulted in FEs feeling that their school management has "lied' to them when the truth is a simple lack of understanding on both sides.

"L" visa is a single or multiple entry tourist permit. It is illegal to work in China on an "L" visa. It is very difficult, but not impossible, to convert an "L" visa to a "Z" visa that allows employment in China. It all depends on how much your employer wants and needs you and the extent of their credibility with the local authorities. (Credibility comes in many forms, shapes and sizes and through various means and devices.) Some Provinces close to Hong Kong and Macao will issue multiple entry "L" visas to FE with prior "Z" visas. The further the province from Hong Kong or Macao, the more difficult to obtain a multiple entry visa while working in China.

"F" visa is a single entry permit for business purposes. You must have an invitation letter from your host company. The visa is for 30 days. This visa is easily converted to a "Z" visa before its expiration date that then allows further employment in China past the initial 30 days.

"Z" visa is a single entry permit, usually issued for 30 days. This merely allows you to enter China to apply for your "Expert's Certificate" and "Green Card" or "Temporary Resident Permit." Once you have these two documents you are free to stay, work, and travel within China. If you wish to leave China you must surrender your "Expert's Certificate" and "Green Card" or "Temporary Resident Permit" and obtain an "Exit" visa. You will then need another "Z" or "F" visa to return to your teaching job in China. Vacationing outside China is really discouraged by this entangled process and is a major source of confusion and dissatisfaction with FEs.

4. MEDICAL

Most public Chinese schools offer the same medical treatment to FE as is offered to their own Chinese teachers in the school infirmary or medical clinic. This is basic first aid, Chinese style. It is comparable to the Elementary school nurse in America. Most private schools do not have an on site medical facility and must rely upon the local hospital. Many schools advise that medical insurance first be obtained before leaving the home country. Unfortunately, most medical insurance plans that cover travel and work abroad do not cover the People's Republic of China, which means evacuation to Hong Kong at a minimum. In the event of catastrophic illness, your China employer will deport you anyway.

The Central Government guide provides:

Foreign experts are to be provided "medical expenses according to the Chinese medical care system." (1994, Guide for Foreign Experts Working in China, State Bureau of Foreign Experts, p.52)

"Medical Care. The health care system in China covers the whole country. Most of the work units have their own clinics where complaints like headaches, colds, fevers and stomachaches can be effectively dealt with. There are sizable hospitals in each area and patients can get timely treatment without traveling too far. Big cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and the provincial capitals all have well-equipped hospitals which employ many experienced doctors and specialists. Many cities have specialist hospitals. Most of the hospitals have special departments for foreign experts where patients receive first-class service. If stated in the contract, foreign experts will receive free medical treatment, but the cost of stays in hospital, registration fees, house calls, spectacles, dental treatment, massage, and non-medicinal nutritional products are to be paid by the patient. (1994, Guide for Foreign Experts Working in China, State Bureau of Foreign Experts, p. 60)

5. TRAVEL EXPENSE

Most schools provide a one-way airfare re-imbursement after you have taught for six months and a full round trip reimbursement after you have taught for one year. They also generally provide 1,200 RMB for vacation travel within China at the end of a one-year contract. However, this varies with the different schools.

The Central Government guide provides:

"The inviting party will pay travel expenses to and from work." (1994, Guide for Foreign Experts Working in China, State Bureau of Foreign Experts, p. 52)

"Invitees working for over one year, or over one academic year, will be provided with an economy class return air ticket for themselves and their families. If invitees wish to purchase their own tickets, the inviting party will pay in RMB Yuan the equivalent cost of an economic class air fare by the most direct route." (1994, Guide for Foreign Experts Working in China, State Bureau of Foreign Experts, p. 53)

6. QUALIFICATIONS

a. Education

Most Chinese schools require a Bachelors degree, at a minimum. Unfortunately the degree does not need to be in English, Literature, Linguistics or Education. There are many circumstances where Native English Speakers have been employed with an Associates degree or as little as a U.S. high school diploma.

xinpai@china.com
"Xin Pai Foreign Language School Date: Monday, 20 January 2003, at 10:08 a.m. More Job Vacancies Four more teaching positions are now available at Xin Pai Foreign Language School … but even those with no experience, who would like to try their hand at teaching, are welcome, as we can provide on-the-job training and assistance"

http://www.chinatefl.com/
"Frequently Asked Questions: 1. What qualifications should one have in teaching in China? The basic qualifications are: being a native speaker of English, having a minimum BA degree and commitment to teaching, loving China and its people. Clear, well-spoken English and a good knowledge of the fundamentals of English grammar. Teaching experience/certificate is preferred but not a must."

A major ESL teacher recruiting web site (www.AbroadChina.com) gives the following advice:

What if I do not have a degree?
If you do not have a degree, you must have:
Qualified Teacher Status and at least one years' recent classroom-based experience of teaching English or modern languages, or a TEFL qualification and one years' classroom-based experience of TEFL or teaching another subject.
However, some school will accept you without degree requested, and in some summer program, they may also accept. But some school will not accept you without a degree, so your options will be restricted.

What if I have limited teaching experience?
With TEFL qualifications or equivalent & less than one years experience. If you have a degree, some host schools still will accept you.

The above directly contradicts, at least as to public universities and institutions of higher learning, the following official position of the Chinese Central Government:

The Central Government guide provides:

"Those in search of language teaching positions in universities and institutions of higher learning should have a good grasp of their native languages and literature and should have at least three years' language teaching experience. They should be able to speak their native language in standard pronunciation and intonation." (1994, Guide for Foreign Experts Working in China, State Bureau of Foreign Experts)

Note that the above is advisory and applies only to universities and institutions of higher learning, presumably public colleges and private Business Institutes, but not kindergartens, primary schools, middle schools or high schools, public or private. The use of the word "should" and not "must" should also be noted. The final and most important observation must be the lack of any requirement that English be the native language of the foreign expert hired to teach ESL.

b. ESL Training and/or Teaching Experience

Most schools request a TESOL, TEFL, TOEFL, ESL or CELTA certificate, but actual teaching experience or business experience is an acceptable substitute. (See above.)

Although many schools claim to offer training once the FE is in China, in fact only a handful of private schools provide any pre-employment or on-the-job training specifically for ESL teaching in China.

Most Chinese schools prefer some teaching experience but some do not, let alone ESL experience. Likewise, most schools do not provide any type of teacher training, either on the job or on-line. They use the learn as you go by "trial-and-error" method of teacher training.

7. RECRUITING INDUCEMENTS

Most ESL teachers are recruited to China with very attractive bait.

Travel/Teach English: The Global xxx Institute, Looking for a well-paid job to explore China? Come to xxx! Posted By: xxx College Date: Thursday, 16 January 2003, at 10:04 a.m. But you are very well paid. Your salary will be more than enough for you to live comfortably, to explore the exciting China, its history, its nature, its people, its culture, its language and its food.)

The recruit is usually very young with no prior teaching experience, away from home for the first time, in their first cross-cultural experience, and under the belief that they are about to embark upon a China vacation, which of necessity, must be interrupted occasionally for a little work.

"Too many people with no real interest in the job come here (China) for a good time (very easy to do) and leave the real teachers trying to clean up the mess and repair their image. A white face and a degree, even a fake one, land a job." (Andrew Tamblyn, 1/15/03)

"The tragedy is that some folks come here not to teach, but to travel, so they get all romantic and misty eyed. They can't teach, don't want to teach, and want to party like in the good old USA. This devil-may-care, happy camper attitude unfortunately leads them to make immature decisions and to be placed in schools that can not wait to capitalize on these "Rage against the Machine" look-a-likes. They also give serious teachers a bad reputation." (H. Jones, 2/25/01)

V. COMPLAINTS OF NATIVE ENGLISH SPEAKING TEACHERS

WHEN IN ROME, LIVE AS THE ROMANS DO
IN ASIA NOTHING IS AS IT APPEARS
FLEXIBLE PEOPLE DO NOT BREAK
DO NOT SWIM WITH SHARKS
Author: A sage old man

INTRODUCTION

A review of (113) complaints containing multiple allegations (409) about teaching ESL in China reveals a number of common complaints in identifiable categories under identifiable management models. (There is no central registry for ESL teachers in China. Direct contact with ESL teachers currently employed in China would jeopardize their employment status. Contact with ESL teachers after they have departed from China is likewise impossible without a central registry to identify them and obtain their home contact information. The www.eslcafe.com web site appears to be the only centralized contact point with ESL teachers who have complaints about their China ESL teaching experience.)

Bad Management (COMPLAINTS: Public Schools - 8; Private Schools - 40; Agencies - 7)

The title of this category says it all. With no formal business management education, no special training, little or no experience, no education in cross-cultural relations or human resource management, what can really be expected other than the perception by the FEs that the management has no idea how to run a school or that the management is corrupt?

Bad FAO (COMPLAINTS: Public Schools - 4; Private Schools - 6; Agencies - 0)

FAO Directors who are perceived to be "bad" usually have no formal education, training or experience in cross-cultural relations, human resource management or the requirements of their job. This results in cultural insensitivity, miscommunications, incorrect advice or instructions and eventually a breakdown in the FAO/FE relationship.

Classes (COMPLAINTS: Public Schools - 0; Private Schools - 10; Agencies - 1)

FEs are promised various teaching assignments during the recruitment process but when they are on the ground in China they learn quickly that their primary teaching responsibility is oral or conversational English.

China has Chinese English teachers to teach vocabulary, phonetics, reading comprehension, listening comprehension and all of the substantive disciplines from Accounting to Zoology. If assistance is required from outside experts in substantive disciplines, China turns to the visiting Professor system, not the ESL teacher.

The ESL teacher is in China to facilitate conversational English and the classes they are assigned to teach are consistent with this, the exception being private business institutes that offer advanced business courses but offer no degree.

Contract (COMPLAINTS: Public Schools - 2; Private Schools - 24; Agencies - 4)

The complaints regarding contracts include the failure to have any written contract, the failure to live up to the contract terms and the unilateral amendment of the contract.

Written contracts are the creation of the British Common Law and are foreign in nature and effect to most Chinese. Therefore, the FE's employment contract has little or no value to the Chinese, except that it is required by the Government in order to issue a Foreign Expert's Certificate, which in turn is required to legally employ the FEs.

There are some "sharks" who know exactly how to manipulate the system and the FEs and get away with it. They are often the ones who tell the FEs to hurry up and get to China as quickly as possible, entering on a tourist "L" visa, and promising the moon when the FE arrives.

Class Too Large (COMPLAINTS: Public Schools - 0; Private Schools - 10; Agencies - 1)

Classes may have up to 80 students. Those lodging this complaint should try teaching an English class with 150 students as the Chinese English teachers are often required to do. (See: Zhichang Xu, Teaching and Learning Forum 2001, "Problems and Strategies of Teaching English in Large Classes in the People's Republic of China.")

Public university classes are unreasonably large in many instances. One of the reasons is economic. The FEs wants a bigger salary so the school must reduce costs and one way is to increase the student/teacher ratio. This is a self-inflicted injury in some cases. Some schools are just too poor to afford smaller classes.

Business institutes and training centers try to limit class size to between 10 to 12 students. This is also a matter of economics. The students pay through the nose for the smaller class size.

Housing (COMPLAINTS: Public Schools - 5; Private Schools - 24; Agencies - 6)

Construction standards in China are not equal to the Uniform Building Code in America. There are major differences. Electricity in rural areas and even some larger cities is not static and periodic rolling brownouts are necessary during peak usage periods, just like in California in 2002. Many Chinese peasants and farmers live in areas with no electricity service at all.

Some FE in the warmer area of Southern China complaint about a lack of heat. The Central Government policy is that public buildings North of the Yellow River have heat and those South of it do not. This includes schools and school dormitories. There are many areas South of the Yellow River that have below freezing temperatures from November through February and yet the students have absolutely no heat in the classroom or in their dormitory. Imagine how guilty the FEs must feel sitting in their "Western Style" apartment with electric or gas heaters while their students must bundle up in warm clothes 24 hrs a day, seven days a week. The FEs only understands the plight of their students when they must bundle up to teach in a freezing cold classroom. And yet, some FEs in the warmer climes of Southern China are complaining about a lack of heat.

In areas North of the Yellow River FEs complain about a lack of heat in October and early November because it really is cold but the Government does not turn the heat on with the first freeze. They wait until the cold season has begun in earnest. Public buildings are heated by a central hot water piping system that also serves the FE's apartment. FEs in this situation are no colder than their students and if it is really unbearable, they can purchase a very cheap (50 rmb) electric radiant heater.

Another complaint is a lack of hot water. This issue is variable throughout China. Hot water for drinking is available through the electric water dispenser provided by most schools or can be made simply on the stove by those who have learned to boil water. As to potable drinking water there is no excuse for a school not providing this for the FEs but the FEs can obtain it at a very reasonable expense in the local market (5 rmb for 5 gallons). Hot water for showers may be as scarce for the FEs as it is for some students who never see hot water for showering.

Censorship on the Internet and in the classroom is a real cultural shock for those who have been brought up under the "Freedom of Speech" regime of America, Australia, and the United Kingdom. In the classroom the FEs are not allowed to discuss their personal religious beliefs (but they may discuss religion as history or cultural); they may not comment on the relationship between China and its breakaway Province of Taiwan (but the non-political news of Taiwan can be discussed); and there can be no criticism of the Central Government or Communist Party of China (but Government actions may be discussed, objectively rather than judgmentally). For a third world developing nation with a Communist regime, these limitations on "free speech" are not onerous. The Internet censorship is part of the crowd control mentality of Communism. With 1.3 billion people to manage and provide for, there must, of necessity, be some measures that restrict personal freedoms and this is one of them.

All in all, the Chinese Government has done a tremendous job of unifying so many minorities into one cohesive, law abiding and peace loving society that is progressing rapidly in its attempts to make up for years of seclusion. Cultural sensitivity is what is needed on the part of the FEs.

Some FEs are promised "Western Style" housing by schools who have no such housing available and have no intention of providing any. Instead they intend to house their FEs in a third rate Chinese class hotel. Foreign tourists in China are required to stay in International class 4 or 5 star hotels and are not allowed to stay in Chinese class hotels. This practice is usually instituted by private schools that are both owned and managed by Chinese and teach a primary school curriculum.

Lies (COMPLAINTS: Public Schools - 10; Private Schools - 35; Agencies - 11)

The amount and variety of "lies" is extensive and runs the gamut of everything having to do with the recruitment process through every contract provision, down to the failure to provide the promised "Z" visa, Expert's Certificate, and Foreigner Residence Permit.

Many so called "lies" are simple misunderstandings resulting from language and cultural barriers. However, there are some very sharp operators who have refined lying to an art form.

Medical (COMPLAINTS: Public Schools - 1; Private Schools - 3; Agencies - 1)

Many private schools do not have even the basic infirmary and they attempt to avoid any outlay of cash for medical services on behalf of the FE.

Parental Interference (COMPLAINTS: Public Schools - 0; Private Schools - 2; Agencies - 0)

Kindergarten parents tend to want to sit in on classes and direct the FEs and prevent any discipline of their child. FEs should be given a cultural introduction to the value Chinese parents place on their children and why. The FEs should also realize that parents of kindergarten age children around the world have a hard time adjusting to cutting the apron strings and allowing their child to leave home. In China, this attachment continues through the senior middle school years as is evidenced by parents seeing their teenage children to and from school. This is a cultural difference.

Plagiarism and Cheating (COMPLAINTS: Public Schools - 1; Private Schools - 4; Agencies - 0)

Chinese are known for their ability to copy or duplicate. Name brand and designer clothes and watches, movies on DVDs and music on CDs are often available in China in a pirated version before they are available in their intended market. The fact that cheating and plagiarism are rampant and unchecked should not come as any surprise.

Cheating also includes administrative actions that change failing grades to passing ones. No university student in China fails to graduate unless they are guilty of a more serious offense than failing a few courses offered by FEs.

School administrators and directors with basic training in Education Administration would deal with this problem in an effective and productive manner.

Pollution, Crowded, Filth (COMPLAINTS: Public Schools - 2; Private Schools - 6; Agencies - 1)

This is a common complaint by FEs employed throughout China in all of the management models. Most FEs realize that this is not a situation that the school management has any control over. However, the FEs blames the school management because they may have made recruiting claims about how beautiful their campus was, or how clean their city was, or how their area is a major tourist destination, or how …. The FEs feels lied to by the school management. What the FEs needs to realize is that the Chinese really believe in the truth of their claims about their area and have never seen the FE's country by which the FEs makes his comparative judgment.

This complaint arises from true "culture shock" and could be reduced or eliminated through regulation of recruitment materials.

Filthy classrooms are a different matter. It appears that dirt, chalk dust, papers and other trash are allowed to pile up in the classroom corners. This is just poor housekeeping for which there can be little reason other than different lifestyles and values.

As to the "crowded" issue; what can anyone expect in a Country with 1.3 billion people? Americans feel entitled to a personal zone of privacy around their personal being. However, Asians are accustomed to rubbing shoulders at every turn of daily life. This is a definite cultural difference.

Prejudice (COMPLAINTS: Public Schools - 5; Private Schools - 5; Agencies - 5)

There are two categories under the complaint of racism. It is claimed that blacks are routinely rejected and that FEs are only tolerated but not respected or appreciated.

Blacks are in fact routinely rejected, particularly those from the African Continent English speaking nations where English is primarily spoken as a second language. The reason generally given by Chinese recruiters is that no matter what the country of origin, black's English pronunciation is not adequate for ESL teaching in China.

In many areas of China the FEs are treated as a necessary evil or "foreign devil." Partygoers parading around as ESL teachers have given the legitimate ESL teacher a bad reputation and disrespect naturally follows. There is also the small matter of the unforgotten history of western invasion of China some years back. However, there are still many areas of China that have a high degree of regard and respect for teachers in general and FEs in particular. FEs are treated like royalty with first class, red carpet treatment.

However, there is still the attitude that "I like FEs and some of them are my friends. I just do not want one of them to marry my daughter." Chinese girls seen in public with a FEs are often called prostitutes, as no respectable Chinese girl would be caught dead in public with one. This also affects where FEs are allowed to live and why Chinese students and teachers are not allowed to visit the FE's house, particularly in the rural areas.

Profit Before Education (COMPLAINTS: Public Schools - 2; Private Schools - 18; Agencies - 1)

ESL teaching in China is big business and there are big profits to be had. Some FEs perceive that their school puts profit before a quality education. Some of these complaints have been verified to be valid while young altruistic teachers poorly grounded in basic business management principles lodge others.

There are some sharp operators who consider their school to be a "cash cow" and they fully intend to milk it for all it is worth. It also seems that their primary purpose in inviting FEs is to use them as "shills" to increase enrolment and revenues.

Salary (COMPLAINTS: Public Schools - 6; Private Schools - 53; Agencies - 8)

FEs complain about not receiving the agreed compensation, not receiving the agreed overtime pay, receiving reduced pay, pay with unilateral deductions and fines, pay reduced unilaterally, late pay, and that they must argue for their pay.

FEs complain that they do not receive the end-of-contract bonus.

FEs complain that they do not receive the return airfare.

Most complaints emanate from private schools teaching a primary school curriculum. These schools suffer from untrained and inexperienced management which experience constant cash flow problems and owners more interested in profits than education, even if the profits are made off the labor of FEs they cheat.

Security (COMPLAINTS: Public Schools - 2; Private Schools - 5; Agencies - 1)

Schools with on-campus housing usually have walled, gated compounds with security personnel on guard 24 hrs. a day seven days a week. To many FEs this sounds, looks and feels like a prison. (If it talks, walks and smells like a duck, it is probably a duck.) The Chinese staff and students appreciate the secure compound because they know what evil lurks outside its walls.

The FEs not only feel imprisoned because they must be in their apartment from 8:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m. the next day and they may have no overnight guests; the FEs can not understand how under all of this security their apartments are still ransacked, yet no culprits are ever caught and stolen items are almost never returned.

Support, Teaching Materials (COMPLAINTS: Public Schools - 3; Private Schools - 31; Agencies- 8)

The crux of this complaint is that the school FAO is either dodging its duties or there is no FAO at all and that the FEs are left to fend for themselves in all matters.

There is the secondary complaint that there is no Chinese teacher to assist in the classroom.

Third, there is either an inadequate curriculum or none at all; and little or no teaching materials, combined with broken or non-existent teaching equipment and supplies. Again, this situation may be a matter of economics or poor training for the Management and FAO Director. This however can also be the result of sharp practices to enrich the school at the expense of both the student and the FEs.

Toilets

Chinese toilets are open trenches over which one squats on their haunches. Most westerners find this both physically difficult and offensive. The stench emanating from a Chinese toilet room permeates the entire building, even seeping into the classroom. This is most distracting to the FE. This is the sole reason China joined the WTO. No, not the World Trade Organization, the small WTO (World Toilet Organization). China is well aware of the need to improve its toilet facilities. (See: www.worldtoilet.org).

Visa - Foreigner Residence Permit - Foreign Expert's Certificate (COMPLAINTS: Public Schools - 2; Private Schools - 24; Agencies- 1)

Some schools that are unlicensed or do not have authority to hire FE promise a "Z" visa after the FE enters China on an "L" visa. The "Z" visa is never produced and the teacher has resulting immigration problems. Some such schools offer invitation letters on another company's letterhead upon which an "F" visa is issued with the promise of a "Z" visa after the FE enters China. When the "Z" visa is not timely issued, the FE has immigration problems.

This problem can be avoided if the FE will simply insist that he be provided with the "Z" visa before entering China. Reputable and experienced schools are very capable of complying with this request. Schools that encourage entry on an "L" visa or "F" visa are the major source of subsequent "Z" visa problems.

Even licensed schools play games with the visa for their own economic reasons. After all, FEs without a "Z" visa is at the mercy of the school and can be convinced to accept lower pay, inadequate housing and changed contracts.

Without the "Z" visa it is impossible to obtain the Foreigner Residence Permit or the Foreign Expert's Certificate.

CAVEAT: A limitation on this review is that the reviewed web site containing the complaints from expatriate teachers of ESL in China is devoted almost exclusively to recruiting for non-public schools and hence the complaints are more likely to come from teaching experiences in private schools. This should not be misconstrued to mean that there are fewer complaints from those employed in public schools. The two web sites devoted almost exclusively to recruiting for public schools do not maintain a forum to post complaints (www.chinatefl.com; www.abroadchina.org). Hopefully they will consider doing so in the future as it might assist in identifying areas of needed improvement in the ESL system in China. The authors had no previous relationship with any of the web sites referred to herein and had no contact with any of the complainants regarding their published complaints.

With 100,000 FE teaching ESL in China each year, the number of published complaints does not initially appear to be worthy of serious consideration. However, tacticians inform us that each published complaint represents a significant number of unpublished complaints. Further, the number of complaints can be viewed as rather large in comparison to the number of ESL employers ("1,076 universities and institutions of higher learning" 1994, Guide for Foreign Experts Working in China, State Bureau of Foreign Experts).

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