Age limit on FEC & residence permit

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Pashley

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Age limit on FEC & residence permit
« on: September 12, 2012, 05:01:18 PM »
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!
Who put a stop payment on my reality check?

Re: Age limit on FEC & residence permit
« Reply #1 on: September 12, 2012, 05:09:27 PM »
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.

Re: Age limit on FEC & residence permit
« Reply #2 on: September 12, 2012, 05:47:03 PM »
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.

Re: Age limit on FEC & residence permit
« Reply #3 on: September 12, 2012, 10:04:13 PM »
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.

Re: Age limit on FEC & residence permit
« Reply #4 on: September 13, 2012, 12:17:06 AM »
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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Re: Age limit on FEC & residence permit
« Reply #5 on: October 08, 2012, 07:48:20 PM »
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.
Who put a stop payment on my reality check?

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Pashley

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Re: Age limit on FEC & residence permit
« Reply #6 on: October 22, 2012, 07:15:30 PM »
I just got the final word from department head; the age/visa problem is apparently not fixable. Damn.
Who put a stop payment on my reality check?

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gonzo

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Re: Age limit on FEC & residence permit
« Reply #7 on: October 22, 2012, 07:29:14 PM »
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.
RIP Phil Stephens.
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mlaeux

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Re: Age limit on FEC & residence permit
« Reply #8 on: October 23, 2012, 01:19:16 AM »
Quote
I just got the final word from department head; the age/visa problem is apparently not fixable. Damn.

Bummer.  ananananan


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old34

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Re: Age limit on FEC & residence permit
« Reply #9 on: March 25, 2016, 04:10:01 AM »
This topic has been dead for awhile, and to the best of my knowledge the unofficial rule was no new hires at 60 or over, but if you're already there, they can keep you on til 65 (year-by-year). I hit 60 in February, and the school had already told me in January they wanted me back come July. But today, out of the blue, my director told me that in the process of preparing the paperwork for the new contract, someone in the FAO office noticed my age (the FAO prepares the paperwork for submission to the FEB for the renewal of the FEC) and called my department to come to the office. The director, the dean and the head of the English department all went there and were told that while, in the past the university had the policy of "in by 60 good lil 65" the school had changed it recently to conform to the new rules of the Beijing Foreign Expert Bureau (which issues the necessary FEC). in my favour, the FAO said they weren't happy with this change and asked those from my department to write a report on why I should be allowed to continue next year and they'll take it to the BJFEB. anyway, it seems the 60 YO age limit IS being applied in Beijing currently by the BJFEB and the universities are rolling over (albeit unwillingly).
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad. - B. O'Driscoll.
TIC is knowing that, in China, your fruit salad WILL come with cherry tomatoes AND all slathered in mayo. - old34.

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Tree

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Re: Age limit on FEC & residence permit
« Reply #10 on: March 25, 2016, 05:47:56 PM »
A local school [Hangzhou] has a principal who is 71, has been here for about 5 years. He got his permit renewed again this year. For what it's worth.
The greatest and most important problems of life are all in a certain sense insoluble. They can never be solved, but only outgrown.
- Jung

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cruisemonkey

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Re: Age limit on FEC & residence permit
« Reply #11 on: November 03, 2016, 10:55:37 AM »
I turned 60 last summer, but (coincidentally) was told the uni could not renew my contract because of the 'Five-year Rule'.

Now, the uni can apparently circumvent the Five-year Rule and has asked me to stay on. I've signed a new, sixth contract; however, I aso had to sign a waiver for the insurance. The FAO said the waiver is just to 'satisfy' the government bureaucrats - to get my new FEC & RP issued - and that the uni would pay my insurance premium i.e. I will be covered (for what it's worth).
The Koreans once gave me five minutes notice - I didn't know what to do with the extra time.

Re: Age limit on FEC & residence permit
« Reply #12 on: November 18, 2016, 05:32:57 PM »
I turned 60 last summer, but (coincidentally) was told the uni could not renew my contract because of the 'Five-year Rule'.

Now, the uni can apparently circumvent the Five-year Rule and has asked me to stay on. I've signed a new, sixth contract; however, I aso had to sign a waiver for the insurance. The FAO said the waiver is just to 'satisfy' the government bureaucrats - to get my new FEC & RP issued - and that the uni would pay my insurance premium i.e. I will be covered (for what it's worth).

Good luck
 Please open all windows of your flat if you intend on using a fan. Many foreigners have died in Korean from fan death. :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :alcoholic:

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piglet

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Re: Age limit on FEC & residence permit
« Reply #13 on: July 21, 2017, 11:24:34 PM »
Jumping in to resurrect this one- Just been offered 3 jobs (at age 60 from outside the Big Silly) and told that SOME PROVINCES can do this till age 65. Not holding my breath about getting a Z visa though. We shall see... still not sure if I want to do this or not. Mr Piglet is pushing as he has bad China Withdrawal Syndrome.  mmmmmmmmmm
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Nolefan

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Re: Age limit on FEC & residence permit
« Reply #14 on: July 24, 2017, 05:31:26 PM »
Jumping in to resurrect this one- Just been offered 3 jobs (at age 60 from outside the Big Silly) and told that SOME PROVINCES can do this till age 65. Not holding my breath about getting a Z visa though. We shall see... still not sure if I want to do this or not. Mr Piglet is pushing as he has bad China Withdrawal Syndrome.  mmmmmmmmmm

There are many exceptions in different cities and provinces. Right now, especially for certified teachers, they're trying hard. it's a buyer's market at the moment with too many folks moving on to other destinations
alors régressons fatalement, eternellement. Des débutants, avec la peur comme exutoire à l'ignorance et Alzheimer en prof d'histoire de nos enfances!
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