China Issues Draft Law on Foreign Teachers – Part Time Allowed?!

With the agreement of their employer, foreign teachers will be allowed to work part-time in other educational institutions reasonably!

On July 21, 2020, in order to strengthen the management of foreign teachers, the Ministry of Education, together with the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, formulated the Measures for the Appointment and Management of Foreign Teachers (Draft for Comments) to solicit public opinions, and below is the major content.


Basic Requirements for Foreign Teachers


Foreign personnel should meet the following requirements before they can be employed as foreign teachers by various educational institutions at all levels.

  • Bachelor degree or above;
  • As a subject professional (including foreign language literature) teachers must have more than two years of teaching or working experience in related disciplines;
  • As a teacher of foreign language training, he/she must have been trained in language teaching, and obtain the language training qualification, and generally be engaged in his/her mother tongue teaching;
  • And for those who teach relevant courses in Chinese, their mandarin level should reach class 3B or above, or pass the HSK proficiency test to obtain the corresponding grade certificate.


Who Will Be Banned from Employment


Under any of the following circumstances, foreign personnel shall not be employed by any educational institution.

  • Words and deeds that damage China’s national sovereignty, security, honor and social and public interests;
  • Being investigated for criminal responsibility;
  • Hindering the implementation of the educational policy;
  • Drug addicts;
  • Having committed acts of sexual assault or maltreatment of minors;
  • Illegally engaging in religious education or missionary work;
  • Engaged in cult activities;
  • Sexual harassment of students or other serious violations of teachers’ professional ethics;
  • Providing false certification information in the process of applying for teaching in China;
  • Having three records of breach of trust.

Part-Time Job Allowed for Full-Time Teachers


During a period of employment, foreign teachers can only sign a contract with one educational institution. The contents of the contract shall include the work tasks, the working place, the responsibilities of the position, the term of appointment, rights and obligations of both parties, the assessment methods, the dispute settlement mechanism and liability for breach of contract.

It is worth noting that, with the agreement of the employing institution, foreign teachers can reasonably work part-time in other educational institutions. But the accumulated part-time teaching time shall not exceed the teaching time in the employing institution.


Filing and Sharing of Teachers’ Information


For educational institutions, a material copy or electronic material of the employed teachers shall be uploaded to the national comprehensive information service platform for foreign teachers, and the service platform shall generate the record number of foreign teachers, one number for each foreign teacher.

Note: The national comprehensive information service platform for foreign teachers only allows the registration of educational administrative departments and educational institutions.

For government departments, information sharing mechanisms for foreign teachers should be established, including lists of foreign teachers who have been granted work permits to work in China and those who are prohibited from employment.


Three Ways to Make Suggestions


Here are three ways to give advice about the draft, from July 21 to August 21, 2020.

  • Log into the official website of Ministry of Justice of the People’s Republic of China（www.moj.gov.cn/www.chinalaw.gov.cn）, and click the legislative opinions collection (立法意见征集) in the home page;
  • Send an Email to : fzb@moe.edu.cn ;
  • Send via mail to the policy and regulation judicial system office of the Ministry of Education. Address: No. 35, Damuchang Hutong, Xicheng District, Beijing (postcode: 100816).

Online Chinese Visa Applications Reopen in South Africa

Online Chinese Visa Applications Reopen in South Africa

As from 1st August 2020, the Chinese Embassy and Consulates-General in South Africa. It will implement a newly developed online visa application form and appointment booking system. All applicants are required to log on to the official website of the Chinese Visa Application Service Center.(www.visaforchina.org), to fill out the E-form and make appointment online.

During the transitional period from 1st to 31st August 2020, applicants can still use the existing physical paper application forms. Starting from 1st September 2020, all applications will have to be submitted through the online application system. The Chinese Embassy and Consulates in South Africa will cease to accept application forms of version 2013.

For diplomatic, service and courtesy visas, applicants are required to complete the E-forms at www.visaforchina.org. Second, submit hard copies at the Chinese Embassy or Consulates in the South Africa. Appointment is not required. 

Please be informed that the Chinese Embassy, Consulates-General as well as Chinese Visa Application Service Centre are all closed at the moment due to the nationwide lockdown. The above requirements will be implemented when services resume.

How to combat loneliness as a teacher abroad during the pandemic

Loneliness during COVID-19 2020

Feeling lonely is an inevitable side effect of self-isolating. Here are some tips for teachers living abroad on how to combat loneliness. As much as possible and maintain a healthy emotional and mental outlook: 

  • Stay connected. 
  • Reconnect with old friends.
  • Communicate with colleagues.
  • Reach out to those in need.
  • Accept help and support. 
  • Keep up with your self-care.

Stay connected.

The best way to tackle feelings of loneliness is. Make an effort to stay connected with friends and family both at home and in your host country. 

Use technology to your advantage to help keep in touch, especially with friends and relatives living alone. 

Try to arrange a phone or video call whenever you can. Keeping track on a calendar of dates and times when you are free to do so. 

Staying indoors for a long time can also mean that, when you connect with family and friends, you find yourself with little to talk about. 

You could also try playing games together. There are many great apps out there that allow you to have fun virtual hangouts. Such as virtual online quizzes or even video calling apps such as Zoom and HouseParty.

Reconnect with old friends.

As a teacher living abroad, you may have lost touch with several of your friends back home. 

Whether you’re navigating a new job in a new country or having lived abroad for years. Now is the perfect time to rekindle those friendships with individuals you never thought you’d lose touch with. 

With schools in countries such as Italy and Spain planning on staying closed until at least September. You may find yourself with lots of free time to do so.

It is important to not feel pressured to reach out to people. However, friends should understand that living through a pandemic is no easy challenge since we are all in this together. 

If you find yourself being distant from others, remember to not feel guilty about this. But instead do what is best for your mental health.

Communicate with colleagues.

Missing out on talking with colleagues regularly throughout the day can intensify feelings of loneliness. 

Whereas before you could simply chat with a fellow teacher about work or what you saw on TV the night before. This essential social interaction has now been dramatically minimized as teachers work remotely.

Communication is easy to achieve throughout the working day by video. Calling coworkers to discuss your current teaching plans and ideas for the future. 

Talk about something other than work, arrange a call during your breaks or in the evening to help stay connected and maintain a work-life balance. 

If you’re a teacher in a country where lockdown rules are being eased slightly. You may now be allowed to meet up with a select number of individuals in an outdoor space. 

Use this opportunity to catch up with some colleagues or friends while also keeping your distance. 

Reach out to those in need.

If you think your family and friends are struggling, assure them that you’ll be there to speak to them and provide advice when they’re feeling overwhelmed and lonely. 

However, as a teacher abroad, your family members may be hundreds, or even thousands, of miles away. Helping someone else’s family in times of need is a great way to fit in some much needed social contact and help others combat their own struggles of loneliness.

As you venture out for your weekly grocery run, reach out to neighbors or colleagues who are quarantined and ask if they need a few essentials. 

As long as you remember to keep your distance, you shouldn’t be putting your health at risk. 

Completing a good deed for others will help boost morale and lift a weight off the shoulders of those who are in need.

Helping out is also a great way to make new relationships while in quarantine. 

If you’ve never spoken to your neighbors before, try leaving a friendly note and offering some encouragement. 

If you’re a teacher living in an apartment building, this can be a great way to get to know a large group of people and share resources.

Accept help.

If you’re seriously worried about your mental health, it is vital to reach out to those who can help. 

If you feel uncomfortable talking to a friend or family member about this, there are trained professionals who can help by listening and guide you to means of navigating and managing your emotions during this uncertain time. 

Making sure you have easy access to your host country’s healthcare system and services is extremely important during this time. 

For example, in some countries, you’ll need to have some kind of health insurance plan in place so you won’t incur any out of pocket fees when accessing local health services or facilities. Whether it’s for physical or mental health purposes. 

Virtual health services are also available on specific international healthcare plans, allowing you to seek medical advice from inside your own home. 

Keep up with your self-care.

Finally, don’t forget to give yourself some love and support too. 

Self-care can be anything from exercising to dancing around in your apartment to good tunes or starting a daily journal. 

The idea is to do something nice for yourself every day. This might be hard at first, but it’s so worth it.

It doesn’t have to be big either. But regularly taking care of yourself will boost your happiness and strengthen your relationship with yourself at the same time.

So go ahead and try to do more things that make you feel better and whole. 

Draw, write, dance, meditate, exercise or eat a nutritious meal. Commit to at least one act of self-care a day.

Stay strong and keep at it!

Making the first step to reaching out for help can be a difficult one. But it is important to not suffer in silence from mental health issues that may arise, or be heightened as a result of self-isolation.

Remember that you are not alone and there are plenty of teachers abroad who have also had their experience change in the blink of an eye. 

Just take it day by day. 

You’ll come out of this more resilient and adaptable than you ever thought possible. 

Best of luck to all the teachers abroad right now. 

Hang in there! 🤗

By Erika Raso

What to Do After Your 60 Day Visa Extension! Answers Inside!

Chinese visa extension 60 days - covid-19

On April 26, 2020, Hubei CDC announced that the residence permit of foreigners in Hubei would be extended for two months without going through any formalities for extension during the epidemic period.

Feedback from Some Major Cities

What to Do After Your 60 Day Visa Extension?

The key point is that the policy of two-month automatic extension is still working in China, however, each visa holder is supposed to enjoy it once and only. That is to say, if your visa has been automatically extended, and you need to have it renewed further, then you will have to go handle it in person.

Below are the detailed feedbacks from 9 major cities in China, including Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Yiwu, Nanjing, Tianjin and Shenyang.


Beijing 


Before the two-month automatic renewal expires, expats in Beijing should go to the exit & entry administration with the required materials for processing. Whether they can have their visas renewed or not will depend on the actual situations of theirs.

The administration reminded that holders of expiring visas shall pay close attention to the official website of the Immigration Bureau for policy updates.


Shenzhen 


Per the staff of Shenzhen exit & entry administration, whether expats can have their visas extended or not will depend on the type of visa, the previous entry time, the length of stay and its validity period. Expats in the city may dial the foreign language service hotline at 0755-1258088 to inquire their next move.

Shanghai


Expats whose residence permits are about to expire shall go to the local entry-exit hall for visa extension with the necessary materials and a result will be given there depending on the individual situation.

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Chengdu


According to the Chengdu Entry-Exit Administration, the current 60-day renewal policy is only for foreigners in China who are unable to leave due to the epidemic. As for the other expats, the extension should be decided as per the type of visa.

It is worth mentioning that in the case that a visa /resident permit expires but before that its holder has already applied for a renewal which hasn’t been processed, a two-month extension will be given.

Hangzhou 


Per Hangzhou entry-exit staff, whether an extension will be given as well as its length will be decided per the visa types. Visa holders shall go to the entry-exit hall to submit the application in person with required materials, and the result will be given there.

Yiwu


If a residence permit expires after February 28, 2020, it can be automatically extended for 60 days; if it expires before that, then it constitutes illegal residence. However, in light of the epidemic situation. its holder will be treated in a lighter way as long as they go to Yiwu Entry-Exit Administration Bureau ASAP. Along with relevant materials for processing.

For other expats, they may go through an extension procedure as usual by going to the local exit & entry administration with materials.


Nanjing


Foreigners in Nanjing whose residence permits are about to expire will have to go to the local entry-exit hall for processing with the relevant materials required. A result will be given based on the individual situation.

Besides, according to people familiar with the matter, it’s unlikely for tourist visa holders who have enjoyed a 60-day extension to receive another one, which is to say, they will probably have to leave before it expires.


Tianjin


The extension will be decided on the type of visa. Foreigners shall make an appointment on the official website of Tianjin Entry and Exit Administration before the expiration. After that, they will receive an interview and be told if they will be able to stay or not.


Shenyang


According to Shenyang Entry and Exit Administration staff. Expats can go get their visas extended 10 days in advance before expiration. Like other cities, whether one can stay or not will be decided on the actual situation.

Additionally, the situation of Guangzhou remains unclear to us, as we couldn’t reach the entry-exit staff for the time being. We will cover the updates if there is any.

Hong Kong, Singapore lift airport bans on transit passengers

Hong Kong, Singapore lift airport bans on transit passengers

Hong Kong and Singapore airports will lift their bans on transit passengers from the start of June as part of the easing of coronavirus restrictions which have stunted the economy and decimated air travel.

The moves will be especially welcomed by Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines, which rely on their respective home airports as transfer hubs for connecting flights more than destinations in their own right.

Hong Kong Airport to lift transit bans from June 1

Transit services at Hong Kong International Airport will “gradually resume” from June 1, city leader Carrie Lam confirmed at a press briefing earlier today.

“The epidemic has eased,” she said. “We are resuming daily activities in society and economy step by step.”

Hong Kong implemented a ban on all visitors to the city, and passengers in transit through Hong Kong International Airport, on March 24.

All arrivals at the airport are currently required to go to the nearby AsiaWorld Expo site for COVID-19 testing, before proceeding to their home for the mandatory 14 day quarantine period.

There’s been no advice as to if this practice will continue, nor what restrictions might be imposed on passengers in transit at the airport itself, although wearing masks may be required.

Cathay Pacific, which has been hard-hit by the coronavirus pandemic, has since April operated to “a skeleton schedule” of barely a dozen destinations served by just a handful of flights per week.

However, the airline plans aim to put a little flesh onto those bones with a slow but steady rebuild of its international network beginning June 21.

This will see Sydney, London Heathrow, Los Angeles and Vancouver boosted to five flights per week. Melbourne is set for three flights per week, along with Amsterdam, Frankfurt, San Francisco, Mumbai and Delhi.

Cathay will also mount daily flights to Singapore, Tokyo, Osaka, Seoul, Taipei, Manila, Bangkok, Jakarta and Ho Chi Minh City, while its Asia-focussed Cathay Dragon arm is set for daily service to Beijing, Shanghai and Kuala Lumpur.

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Singapore Changi Airport to lift transit bans from June 2

Travellers will once again be allowed to transit through Singapore’s Changi Airport from June 2, although in the short term, Singapore stopovers will be very different to what travellers are accustomed to.

Instead of browsing the duty-free shops or kicking back in the airline lounge , transit passengers will “remain in designated facilities in the transit area and not mix with other passengers whilst at Changi Airport,” said the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore in announcing the relaxed restrictions overnight.

Airport staff will wear personal protective equipment when interacting with passengers, while existing precautionary measures, such as safe distancing and temperature checks for passengers and staff, will remain in place.

Singapore’s ban on transit passengers came into effect from Tuesday March 24, accompanied by a ban on short-term visitors to the island nation, after it recorded its first two deaths from Covid-19 complications.

source: www.executivetraveller.com/news