A vast country offering opportunities for teaching jobs in China international schools with thousands of Esl English language and subject teaching in China vacancies. School teacher posts cover age from 2-18 years.
Teach in China jobs at schools from primary, nursery, middle and high school subject teachers, such as business, mathematics, music, accounting and chemistry are in high demand.
Teaching in China international schools
Many international school jobs in China for English speakers are available with an bachelors degree and license teacher qualification or TEFL certificate in numourus cities throughout China.
Vast majority of educator jobs in subjects, such as mathematics, PE, art and business for foreign teachers are at bilingual or international schools. Teachers can opt to teach English in China at one of the many international schools.
A good time to start a job is around August or September when many of the courses are starting at international schools. February or November depending on the school calendar are other good times.
English teachers working at an international school in China would be employed as a licenced teacher teaching AP English, IGCSE, A Level or IB courses with subject teaching hiring requirements.
ESL English as a second language teacher job role is to improve the oral English and comprehension of school students at an international school in China. Easier recruitments requirements, generally with a bachelors degree, TEFL/TESOL/CELTA and native English speaker.
You’re salary will be less than a subject teacher.
China teacher salary package
Choosing to go to China to teach in Beijing or another Tier 1 city you’ll be offered a higher salary than some other tier 2, 3 cities in China.
- Salary: from 22,000 to 42,000 RMB 2022 before tax per month depending on experience, qualifications, location and education sector level and subject.
- Working Hours: 22 – 40 hours per week, 25 to 28 classes per week.
- Living accommodation: Apartment supplied or house allowance provided.
- Days off: 2 per week.
- Holidays: 2 + week, also festival and national holidays.
- Plane ticket: Return or single airfare refunded at the end of your contract each year.
- Health insurance: The employer should provide cover.
- Other benefits may include free day trips, mandarin lessons and further training, or free school places for children.
China work permit & Z visa
Foreign teachers (You) to legally work in China require a Z Visa. Then you and the school apply for a foreign expert certificate and work permit (Once in China) which requires you to pass a medical and have all the relevant paperwork required.
The school employer must be approved by the China government to hire foreign teachers. You require to complete the Z visa process before flying out to China with a work visa in your passport.
When you arrive in China the school and you have 30 days to apply and secure a Chinese work permit. You’ll be taken for a medical, submit documents and other procedures.
Z visa regulation requirements are on a points based system for all foreign employees. You’ll need 65 points to be placed in Class B for teacher employment in China, A, B, C, where A is the top band. Properly qualified and the correct paperwork then you’ll have no issues.
Require to meet one of the following for a China Z visa:
- Language teacher qualification such as TEFL, no experience required and bachelor degree or higher to teach English.
- Bachelors degree and qualified/certified teacher certification, no experience required for a school subject teacher.
- 2 + years certified experience teaching with a bachelors degree.
You require to apply for a China Z visa at the embassy/consulate from your home country or where you are living as a legal resident. Documents for a Z visa include authenticated and legalised qualifications, criminal background check, passport & copy, work permit notification letter & employer invitation.
Majority of schools require you to be an native English speaker from one of: Australia, New Zealand, USA, South Africa, UK, Ireland, Canada.
Jobs in China for foreigners can be secured with or without experience. Although, you will be effectively training on the job.
General requirements for overseas school teachers in China
- To teach in school classrooms in China you must have at least a 120 hours+ TEFL certification or similar English teaching qualification, classroom or online awarded. China government requirement. This is for English teachers.
- 60 years old men and under, 55 year old women to obtain a work Z visa & residency permit for China. A few towns and cities allow teachers over 60 if a subject expert or case by case to be employed.
- Undergraduate degree for subject teachers (BEd degree, PGCE, Masters in education, PGDE, BA, such as as business, maths, history
- Native English speaker for teachers of English in a growing number of schools, not all.
- 2 + years teaching experience for major towns and city locations, Beijing you need 5 years teaching experience.
- Experience teaching that age range, although some positions are available without experience.
- Subject teachers teaching in state or international schools should be qualified for the age of student, although not all schools.
- 2 or 3 good school teacher reference from current or previous schools.
- Physical medical, z work visa, residency permit for the city you will be living.
- No criminal record document.
Qualifications and other documents require to be authenticated and then legalised at the Chinese Embassy.
Contracts from 10 months to 3 years, also possible renewable.
Residency permit China
Once you arrive in China during the first 30 days you’re employer will apply for a residency permit for the city you’ll be living for you.
Depending on which province you wish to teach different regulations and qualification requirements exist. For instance, in popular major Tier 1 cities like Shanghai you must have a Shanghai residency permit to work and live in the city as a foreign teacher.
In addition, teaching in Shanghai, or to teach English in Beijing requires at least an undergraduate degree. Also, you’ll need an English language teaching certificate, be a native English speaker and possible number of years teaching experience.
International school day in China
With high expectations, standards and a students requirement to succeed both teachers and students at school each day are in a completive environment were good grades and results are needed.
Parents pay a lot of money to send a child to a private fee paying school in China. A 9-10 hour day 5 days a week with scheduled classes and cover lessons followed by extra curricula activities.
Part of you’re evenings or weekend will be taken up by lesson planning, marking and future curriculum planning.
How to find a teaching job at a China international school
International schools in China recruit teachers from western countries to teach expat school children.
First start looking for jobs from November to start the following August each year as China international schools always start the recruiting of international teachers early.
China teacher job search:
- Recruitment agencies where you sign up with a school recruiter that has jobs listed or could find you a suitable position.
- Look on job boards that has international school teacher vacancies for China.
- Compile a list of schools in you’re desired location and search on actual school websites & apply for a teacher job directly to a school.
- You could also send a cv/resume to schools a few months before August each year, as they might be hiring a teacher with you’re skills, experience and subject specialisation.
Demand for international school teachers in China is increasing each year as more schools open or expand they’re intake of students. Language of instruction in many schools is English and schools recruit native English teachers from Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, South Africa, UK, USA.
Interview process for overseas teachers for China schools
Overseas teacher interviews for an international school in China will probably start with a Skype chat then if possible a face to face meeting at a recruitment event in the UK, USA or Canada for example.
Schools do hold face to face interviews where one or more people flies to another country to recruit and interview prospective teachers.
You should be ready and available for a possible meeting with a head teacher or school HR.
Be fully prepared for teachers interview questions
- About past and current teaching experience.
- Examination grades.
- How you fit into the school ethos.
- China culture
- How you would meet expectations of the students and the school.
- Are you ready to relocate and teach in china? Do you foresee any issues relocating abroad?.
China country facts
With a population of more than 1.3 Billion and growing the people of the country live within an area size of 9, 596, 960.
The capital of Beijing is in the north east of the country with a time zone of + 8 hours GMT.
Spending the local currency: Renminbi (RMB) teachers can enjoy local taste, fashion and international brands for their hard earned salary.
Electricity: 220 AC Volts, 50 Hz and you should make an attempt to learn some Mandarin language.
Dialling code: + 86 Beijing city code number 010
Tourist Hotline 010-65130828 Emergencies call: 120
Ambulance, 110 Police and 118 Fire
Climate: Warm and tropical in the south to very cold in the north in the winter.
You’ll have options to live in major cities of Shanghai, Chengdu, (Giant panda city) Beijing to smaller cities and towns in provincial China.