Chinese 'Z' working visa process

 

In order to work as an English teacher legally in China you need to have a ‘Z’ work visa. All the schools we represent are licensed to provide ‘Z’ work visas for their teachers and will take care of the paperwork for you. Be careful when talking to other schools, you need to make sure they are not hiring you illegally, this can lead to big fines and deportation.

 

Although the requirements vary slightly from province to province, typically the China visa application process works as follows. Once you have been offered and have accepted a job teaching English with a school in China you will provide them with a colour scanned copy of your passport, degree certificate, TEFL certificate, recent photo, home address and telephone number. In some provinces a certain number of years teaching experience can count instead of a degree.

 

Over the next 3 to 5 weeks, the school will complete all the necessary paperwork needed for the visa. Once this has been completed they will be issued with an official invitation letter which they will then send you in the post. You will take this invitation letter, along with your passport (valid for at least 6 months) and visa application form to your nearest Chinese embassy.

 

The visa is usually issued within 3 days. Some countries will require you to undergo a medical checkup in your home country. Please check on your country’s Chinese embassy website  for the visa application form and country-specific information.

 

Once the visa has been issued you can then enter China and begin your teaching job. When you arrive, the school will register you at the local police station and take you for a medical checkup. Within a week they will issue you with a residence permit, valid for 1 year.

 

For more information about the visa application process or to apply to teach in China, please contact us and we'll be happy to help.