Teaching English in China: An Opportunity for Unemployed Graduates from South Africa
South Africa has an extremely high unemployment rate. The expanded definition rate is over 36% and over 50% among the youth (people below 30 years old) accordin to some estimates. After a decade of the Zuma presidency, the economic growth rate collapsed. This country needs a much higher growth rate to create more jobs and more opportunities. Teaching English in China is a viable sollution for the large numbers of unemployed graduates in South Africa.
Recently I submitted a proposal to the councillor Atholl Trollip, mayor of Nelson Mandela Bay. My proposal was to suggest that we assist graduates who are not working to go an teach English in China. This will allow them to earn an income, much higher than from an internship in South Africa. They would also gain experience in the workplace, and also internationally. Hopefully they would also pickup Chinese language skills, which will gain them even more opportunities with the numerous Chinese companies who have set-up factories and offices in South Africa.
Teaching English in China remains a very good opportunity for unemployed graduates from South Africa. To qualify for a work visa, you need a Bachelors degrees with any major, and a TEFL/TESOL certification.
On 19 May 2018, this is the exchange rate: CNY 1 = ZAR 2.004 (CNY = Chinese Yuan Renminbi, ZAR = South African Rand)
South Africa was always considered a “native English-speaking” country along with USA, Canada, UK, Australia and New Zealand. The salaries range anywhere from ZAR 20,000 to ZAR 40,000. English teaching jobs are plenty but there are also opportunities to teach STEM subjects and even Football. Bigger cities like Beijing and Shanghai pay high salaries because the cost of living is higher but overall, you can easily save 50% of your income. This is an ideal type of work for a new graduate, with no work experience, and who has been sitting around at home doing nothing.
In most cases, schools will take care of your work visa, pay you an annual bonus, annual return flight tickets home, provide accommodation and meals, as well as Chinese Language and Culture lessons. You’ll also receive a local guide to help you settle in, open a Chinese bank account, etc.
Anyway here’s the new rules that will apply to Foreigners Teaching in China:
September 2017 will be a problem for most schools throughout China.. be prepared to raise the salaries for native English speaking foreign teachers because there will be a huge shortage.
The federal government has made it very clear in their public releases regarding the new immigration laws that quality is more important than quantity. And, there are a lot more new changes yet to come.
As the months move forward and schools get closer to September, most schools will find that they were unprepared for this problem because they refused to listen. Same as last year, they didn’t know how to speculate the market or see the signs of what is happening around them, and the salaries were raised by between CNY 3000-6000 per month. Last year, because of the shortage, it caused a pricing war between employers.
One company raised the salaries in 2016 by CNY 6000 and add CNY 13,000 in bonuses…
What has the government done to cause the shortage?
- Decreased the age limit from 65 down to 60.
- Added a criminal background check causing problems for foreigners.
- Insisting that all university documents be notarized
- The Government is now reviewing a foreigners visa and employment background history.
- Implemented a point system where foreigners must score a minimum of 60 points before they qualify for the B level visa. (Unless the company has a FEC license).
- Only allow non-native English speakers to teach as long as they were educated in a native English speaking country.
- Clamping down on schools and students, who get student visas and don’t attend classes, by forcing the schools to cancel the students visa or face government fines.
- Visa and employment agencies are now being targeted by the Chinese government for operating outside the immigration laws or participating in illegal employment posting with illegal employers.
- The Chinese government are using the bank accounts of foreigners and schools information and accounting companies records to follow-up.
This article was first published on my LinkedIn profile.
