Pashley
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« on: September 12, 2012, 04:01:18 AM » |
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I have never been able to find anything definitive about age limits but I have seen much discussion, ranging from people refused visas at 59 because they'd turn 60 during the contract to others reporting that they were still employed at 75 or so. It appears to vary from place to place and perhaps depend on a school's guanxi. This is China!
I'll summarise my own experience here, partly to vent and partly because it might turn out useful.
My birthday is in December, so if I start at a school aged A then I finish the contract aged A+1.
2007, age 59: Job in Nanjing, no problem.
2008, age 60: school in Fujian make me a good offer, but inform me at the last minute that they cannot get me a visa. They say they can get the authorities to give visas for returning teachers, but not for a new hire over 60.
2008. age 60: a different school in the same prefecture, where I've worked before, hire me. They say it is no problem, and anyway the limit is 65.
2010, age 62: I get a job in Shanghai at a well-known uni; visa is not a problem.
2011, age 63: renewed, no problem
2012, age 64: Problem! I have signed a one-year contract, sept 1 to august 31, but the FEC and residence permit visa only go to my birthday in December. First the FAO tells me they can get it extended if I have health insurance and a letter from my family, presumably saying they won't sue if I keel over or get hit by a truck. Later he informs me no extension will be possible.
Damn!
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Who put a stop payment on my reality check?
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The Local Dialect
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« Reply #1 on: September 12, 2012, 04:09:27 AM » |
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My mom is 61 and she got a visa/FEC and residence permit no problem here in Beijing. She's a certified Montessori teacher and those are not in very abundant supply in Beijing, and she works at an international school. I don't know if that made a difference, but no one here has mentioned an age limit to her. She does have to forgo school supplied health insurance and gets a yearly $3000 payout instead, which, in theory, is supposed to go towards a health insurance plan that she procures independently, but she hasn't done that yet.
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adamsmith
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« Reply #2 on: September 12, 2012, 04:47:03 AM » |
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I do believe that the sinsurance issue is one of the biggest factors in getting the visas as the premiums get very expensive the older we get. As the government will mandates that the schools provide insurance to you, as you get to a certain age they find that you are just too expensive to maintain. But if you provide your own insurance they are more likely to keep you on after you pass the age limits.
Pashley, you should see if you can get some scheme similiar to the TLDs mom. Have the school supplement the insurance premium. I foresee some heavy duty egotiations in the near future for you.
Good luck.
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The Local Dialect
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« Reply #3 on: September 12, 2012, 09:04:13 AM » |
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In my mom's case, the FEC/RP was actually processed before the school cut a deal with her regarding the insurance. This makes me think the insurance thing is the hangup of certain schools, not necessarily of the government? My mom's school had fully intended to provide her with insurance, but then when they got the premiums it was just too much (something like $7000 a year). My mom took the $3000 payoff even though she wasn't really happy with it (afterall she'd been promised insurance) because she was already at the school and felt there wasn't much she could do. She's alright with it now but at first she felt a bit tricked.
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roadwalker
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« Reply #4 on: September 12, 2012, 11:17:06 AM » |
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I tried to recruit a former colleague of mine to my uni in Guangdong. Even though he had loads of experience and at least one provincial award for teaching excellence, the school told me they wouldn't be able to get the fec since he was over 60. At the time, my school didn't have a full complement of teachers signed, and often have trouble getting teachers to come to this neck of the woods. So I took it as the truth. So most likely Guangdong has a problem with over-60. My friend re-signed in Shandong at his uni (he's been there a while), but is coming up to 65 later this year. I'll try to remember to post how that works out.
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Pashley
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« Reply #5 on: October 08, 2012, 06:48:20 AM » |
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My mom is 61 and she got a visa/FEC and residence permit no problem here in Beijing. She's a certified Montessori teacher and those are not in very abundant supply ...
Yes, and I had no problem getting a visa in Shanghai at 62 or renewing at 63. The stickler seems to be 65. |
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Pashley
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« Reply #6 on: October 22, 2012, 06:15:30 AM » |
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I just got the final word from department head; the age/visa problem is apparently not fixable. Damn.
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Who put a stop payment on my reality check?
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gonzo
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« Reply #7 on: October 22, 2012, 06:29:14 AM » |
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When visiting my two old universities earlier in the year, they both offered me work, to which I replied I was over 60. They said no problem as such, just they'd have to pay higher health insurance. Me, who has a checkup once a year and that's it.
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....and the beat goes on............
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mlaeux
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« Reply #8 on: October 22, 2012, 12:19:16 PM » |
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I just got the final word from department head; the age/visa problem is apparently not fixable. Damn. Bummer.  |
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"Happiness has to do with accepting the present moment for what it is, accepting your current life's situation and making the best out of it." - Andrew B.
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