Letter of Release + Changing Employment

Is it difficult to change jobs here mid-contract?

Any horror stories about changing employment and securing the letter of release?

Any advice?

These are always great questions; I've moved this topic to the Teaching area.

Oh, Gawd...
Yes, it IS possible to change jobs mid-contract...and there are ZILLIONS of horror stories about trying to do so. There are already many here around the Saloon.
The policy here is to encourage people to complete their contracts if it's possible...with recognition that it's definitely not always possible. When a situation becomes abusive, it's time to get the hell out.

Going back to Square One sucks, but it isn't the end of the world. If you're truly being cheated or abused, GET OUT!

The Release Letter allows you to move to another job and transfer your residence and Work Permits to the new school rather seamlessly and painfully. Without it, you're back to Square One: leave the country, re-enter on a new visa, and in general start the whole process all over. The letter simply states that you've been released from your contract and are eligible for new employment. However, the Letter MUST bear the official chop ("red stamp") of your school, so it's not something you can forge for yourself.

Generally, if you're on reasonably friendly terms with your outgoing employer, you should be able to obtain the letter no problem. If the school is pissed off at you, though, there's very little chance you'll ever get it. So the key here is to try to make your parting amicable, if you can. Of course, this isn't always possible even if you finish out your contract, given the tendency of so many schools to try and dodge their end-of-contract obligations to you...
Always make the Release Letter a part of your parting negotiations with any school...

In these days of horrific visa/permit rules, having docs in hand really counts for something...

One tidbit of trivia that might be useful, and that the schools won't exactly fall over themselves letting you know- in fact, many try to outright lie about this:
A school can only cancel your Residence Permit or visa if they have it physically in their hands.
You can't deny your docs to the police if they request them, but you do not ever have to surrender your documents to a school functionary. Your residence permit will remain in effect until its expiration date- UNLESS you're silly enough to give it to them.

I suppose the question is then: do I have to leave the country and go back to my country of origin, or can I go to Hong Kong / Macau? Once I am out of the country, how hard is it to get back in on a tourist visa?

 

As it stands right now, as I understand it, you must return to your home country to get the Z/preliminary visa that will allow you to upgrade to the Residence Permit when you get back here.
This hasn't always been the case...part of the new rules that suddenly blowed up on us earlier in 2008. Previously, a run to HK etc. was enough. It may change back, or it may not...no one really knows right now. There's been talk of a lot of the Olympic-season rules relaxing back to the earlier state just any time now, but we just don't know if or when or how much.

The best scenario here is to already have the new job in pocket, go home, have the new employer give or send you the documents required to get an upgradable entry visa, then come back on THAT visa and do the Permit.

Unless you really are a tourist, being in China on a tourist visa has become a very uncomfortable and unreliable condition. Some folks report zero problems obtaining tourist visas, even longer-term ones (and right now, anything over a month is "long-term"), renewing them, or even spinning them up to a Residence Permit when they find a job. Others can't get anywhere at all via this route...just about 3 days ago a friend of mine, a resident of China for several years, sent messages via Facebook that the HK Consulate had simply refused altogether to give him a new tourist visa.
This route should be considered MAYBE possible, but not a sure thing. Best choice, if you have that option, is to get the new job first and have them help guide you in.

Actually, as has been true long since before the new visa problems, there simply are no really certain valid answers to these questions. Things in China are done very much on a provincial and local basis- and even within one city, some employers can get things done that others can't. As you look for new jobs, make sure and discuss these issues with them right away- which will entail telling them that you're leaving a school- and let them tell you what's possible specifically for them.

I know that in the city/province I am in you can turn a tourist visa into a work visa, but that is supposing there is not a third party actively keeping you from getting that visa.

I guess the point I am reaching now is that the benefits of living in China are now being outweighed by the work environment I am in.

It happens. Hope you can just change the job, not the locale.
Although China is NEVER a country you come to for work, at least not teaching work. The schools here SUCK.

IS there a third party actively keeping you from getting that visa?

As it was explained to me by a long-timer, there is a relationship between the school and the visa office, likewise there is a relationship between whatever school I would go to and the visa office. Right now, everybody is compadres, but if I were to go from one school to another and the same visa office were to turn my tourist visa back into a work visa, then it could be seen as a conflict of interest.

Some of my friends are leaving (put in their one month's notice) and we'll see what happens with them.

An update:

I just put in my one months notice (actually a bit more, I said I wanted to leave by December 31st).

Hopefully everything will work out fine, I am willing to pay any fines they will give me and I suppose if necessary I could fly back home, although I do not want to do that.

Now I just gotta go to work - two classes tonight from 6:30-8:30 PM, then 8 hours of classes this Saturday starting at 8:20 AM