How to get a teaching job in China

It is easier than it sounds but it is going to take time. At most, two months or perhaps a month and a half, depending on your persistence and focus. We at teach.fm have outlined 5 key steps.

Step 1.

First and foremost, you have to make sure you are legally qualified to teach English in China. 

For Native English speakers, you need a bachelor’s degree in any field, a clear criminal background check, and a TEFL certificate. To see the specific and up to date requirements (2019) for Non-Native English speakers, please read “Requirements to teach English in China.” written by teach.fm’s visa specialist.

Step 2. 

Apply to open Chinese vacancies from your home country. 

Where to apply? 

You can try spammy job boards on Dave’s ESL Cafe or other TEFL boards. As well as, ESL groups on Facebook, where you’ll deal with Chinese agents. Beware though, unfortunately, independent agents are motivated by quotas and commissions and often times disregard professionalism and the law by inviting teachers to work on a tourist or business visa. 

To find a trustworthy and exceptional TEFL employer, we obviously recommend teach.fm — we were created by teachers for teachers, teach.fm is a place where employers compete for your talents.

To learn how to land a high-paying English teaching career with teach.fm, please read our step-by-step guide to secure a job in China.

Step 3.

Understand the differences between a standard job interview and a TEFL job interview. 

You have applied and have been invited for an interview. 
Questions to expect from the school are:

  • Tell me about yourself
  • Why do you want to teach English?
  • Why do you want to come to China?

Answering these questions in a professional manner is critical, they separate candidates who are looking for a good time in China as opposed to serious educators who are truly interested in Chinese culture. To improve your chances, please view “Top 5 Interview Questions and How to Ace Them!”

Step 4. 

Alright, so you’ve completed the job interview and have been offered a contract. Congratulations! What’s next? The legal work visa.

If you recall in step 2, we emphasize to apply from your home country because it will make the visa process hassle-free. Our teach.fm visa specialist has written a guide to obtain Chinese working visa (Z-visa) summarizing everything you need to know about applying for a legal Chinese work visa for teachers.

In short, they are the following steps:

  • Obtain a clear criminal background check
  • Notarize your degree and clear criminal background check at a public notary/solicitor/lawyer’s office or bank
  • Legalize your notarized documents at your local government office
  • Authenticate your legalized documents at the Chinese embassy
  • Color scan all your documents to your school for them to apply for your invitation letter
  • Once you receive your invitation letter(usually by email) you can apply for your legal work visa

Lastly, Step 5.

Bon voyage

Book your flight, pack your bags and await a world of adventure! 

We know how daunting it is to pick up and move to China. If you would like to schedule a 1–1 free ESL career consultation with teach.fm, sign up and shoot us a message!