Is this something new?

I was talking with the American foreign teacher (we are the only 2 foreign English  teachers there) at my college in the last couple of days, and according to him, there are new rules coming in tomorrow for English teachers. Apparently, for non-native English teachers, they not only will need to be degree holders, but said degree will have to be from an English-speaking country in order to get a Z visa. From what he was saying, this starts tomorrow - which I guess would mean that as peoples' visas run out over the next year, for non-native speakers it would mean that they couldn't legally work.

If this is true, from previous experience that is going to cause massive headaches for a hell of a lot of places.  Plus I would expect a few places would start feeling very worried (to put it mildly).  I currently also have a part time gig and the 2 guys who were taken on at the same time with me are both non-native speakers. I would say there would be a lot of worry there if this rumour is true.

Just wondering if anyone else had heard this and if it is actually true. If it is, then I imagine the supply of English teachers would be hit quite hard - which should be good for us to get more money (hopefully)... 

It wouldn't mean more money, it would mean more fresh graduates from U.S. colleges on 'exchange programs' having a gap year working holiday. The students won't mind because their teacher is beautiful/handsome and they can teach them how to scream 'oh my gaard' and how to twerk 
R

Are there currently a lot of non-native speakers in legal jobs? I've always been under the impression that they get stuck with no choice but to accept the dodgy ones.

I mentioned this in the 'got me upset' thread. It may be implemented in some places, but there's no indication that this will be introduced everywhere.

It's just going to be another one of those rules (such as police checks and medical checks from your home country) that vary from province to province.


This is the first i've heard that there's an actual implementation date, (today), and for the moment I'm going to reagrd 'heard it from an American FT' as fairly low on the scale of verifiable sources.

Interestingly, some are claiming (on the greasy spoon) that R. of Ireland and South Africa will no longer be regarded as English-speaking.

I am a non-native speaker and, though I studied in England, my degree is from the University of Copenhagen. I have been offered a new job at an international high school in Kunming and no such rule has been mentioned. I think this kind of rule is like the five-years-rule, ie, not really a rule that has to be enforced but can be, if the school feels the need to have a legal excuse. China abounds with these Cover Our Own Ass So We Save Face Rules.

New regulations trickle down. Used to be Irish high school graduates could get  Z visas after arrival in China. Those days are long gone.

Little by little it becomes more of a bureaucratic burden to hire teachers.

It wouldn't mean more money, it would mean more fresh graduates from U.S. colleges on 'exchange programs' having a gap year working holiday. The students won't mind because their teacher is beautiful/handsome and they can teach them how to scream 'oh my gaard' and how to twerk 
R

That is an unfair characterization.  Some can also play the guitar.