Teaching Contracts In China

Teaching contracts in China vary commonly depending on the school, the city in which it is located, the demand for English teachers, and the qualifications of the instructors.

This lack of a recognized system can either work for you or against you. The things you can depend on being included in your contract are provisions relating to housing and medical care, and a clear declaration of your wages and classroom tasks, but if you are a smart arbitrator you might come out of the handle significantly more. If possible, you must request references from former workers and people who might be familiar with the organization and you should talk with instructors who are presently used at the school. Be sure to have an agreement that is written in Chinese translated independently prior to you sign it.

Teaching Contracts In China

Remember that these negotiations might take some time (one instructor we know of didn't sign her contract till the end of the very first term), however, it is essential to provide everybody the opportunity to save face, which can be a sluggish process. The following information should help you with negotiating:

Real estate: Most schools, universities, and personal companies make housing provisions for their teachers, so unless you are teaching in a bush ban, you can count on having somebody else pay most, if not all, of your rent. Some schools will put you up in a motel throughout your contract, but others might need that you share a room or an apartment with another teacher. In any case, living near your school (or perhaps on the grounds) will assist you to minimize other expenditures, such as transportation.

Food: Depending upon where you are being housed, a couple of meals daily may be consisted of in your contract. Make certain to arrange for this in advance, because if meals aren't consisted of in your contract from the beginning, it is not likely that they will be included a month or 2 down the road.

Salary: Teaching wages in China are practically completely dependent on your educational background and the status of your degree. If you have a postgraduate degree or substantial teaching experience, you're most likely to amass greater salaries than someone with a bachelor's degree in a non-English associated field.

Classroom tasks: Although you may be employed to teach conversational English, your in-class tasks are likely to fluctuate; an English instructor may be asked to provide occasional lectures on American culture, location, or art. Make certain to work out precisely what your teaching arrangements are before signing your contract, and be firm. If you are not pleased with the classes you've been assigned, or feel you're being exploited, strongly but pleasantly state your case, and refuse to sign your contract before these distinctions have actually been exercised.

Taxes: Find out if the school instantly deducts your taxes from your wages or whether you are responsible for keeping track of your overall earnings. The Chinese tax system is much like that in the United States, so you will be needed to file a type at year's end regardless. Whether the school makes automatic deductions will dictate whether you will have to pay more at the end of the year, which could be a nasty surprise if you aren't anticipating it.