<\/p>\n
When you\u2019re first starting out in the teach abroad field, there can be a steep learning curve when it comes to the hiring process in China<\/a>. In your home country, hiring has probably been a fairly straightforward process. You interview<\/a>, get the job, and show up for your first day of work in your nicest outfit.<\/p>\n When teaching abroad<\/a>, things can be quite different. There are a few key things to know about the legal aspects of the process to ensure that you don\u2019t end up incurring extra fees for yourself or wind up in a tough bind.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n When you leave a school once your contract is up, ideally they will issue you two documents. The first is a release\/cancellation letter which releases their hold on your visa. The other is a government-style reference document that asks whether your performance was good\/satisfactory\/negative. The vast majority of schools will provide both of these documents with a positive reference, ensuring that you\u2019re able to get another work visa down the line. However, there are some situations to be wary of.<\/p>\n When a school hires you, they will begin to apply for a work visa for you with the Chinese government. This will require many steps, but the first step is to simply open an application using your name. The school can do this at any point from the time you sign your contract, even if you haven\u2019t yet sent them the required authenticated documents<\/a>. Once the school has created an application for you, they have a \u2018hold\u2019 on that application.<\/p>\n Say that another opportunity comes along once you\u2019ve signed a contract with School A. School B is offering more money and is in a more desirable location. Unfortunately, because you\u2019ve signed the first contract, there is a chance that School A has already opened an application for your visa. In this case, if you were to terminate that contract and sign with School B, School A might not \u2018release its hold\u2019 on your application \u2013 AKA, give you a release letter. This would mean that School B can\u2019t open a visa application for you because there can only be one.<\/p>\n This is why it\u2019s important to be certain about a school before signing any contracts, because it isn\u2019t as easy to get out of them as it might be back home. In China, these contracts are taken very seriously, and once you sign with a school, that is a promise to the school that you will fulfill the terms of the contract. This is why it\u2019s good to be sure about a school before signing a contract<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n It varies from school to school on how you would go about obtaining a release letter and positive recommendation, and whether or not they would grant you one without issue in special circumstances wherein you leave your contract early.<\/p>\n The best way to go about it is always going to be case by case, but perhaps the most important thing to do is to be polite and always maintain a positive relationship with your employer.<\/p>\n Say, for example, that you\u2019re partway through your contract and things are going well. You like your colleagues and students, and you\u2019ve scored well on all of your performance reviews. However, something comes up unexpectedly and you need to urgently return home. You won\u2019t be able to complete your contract. In this situation, the best thing to do is to be honest with your employer and tell them the situation. Explain that you need to leave to go home. Maintain open and clear communication with them, help them to find a replacement if necessary, and assist with the transition.<\/p>\n Since you\u2019ve maintained a positive relationship with the school, they should give you a release letter and positive recommendation with no problem.<\/p>\n However, if you\u2019re partway through your contract and another opportunity comes along that looks better and you take it, leaving your current school suddenly and without warning, the school will likely be hesitant to give you a release letter. This can put you and your new school into a tough spot because they won\u2019t be able to get you a visa without the release letter, and it\u2019s best to avoid this situation at all costs.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n No matter what, it\u2019s best to keep a positive relationship with your employer. This way, if something unexpected happens, you\u2019ll be able to avoid any trouble. Should there be a situation wherein you\u2019re having trouble obtaining the release letter, open and clear communication is key. Tell the new school what\u2019s going on and they should be able to help as well \u2013 after all, they want you there!<\/p>\n Before signing a contract in the first place, be sure that it\u2019s something you feel good about. If you have reservations or are unsure, don\u2019t sign and hope that something better comes along, because this will open up more difficulties.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Learn more about teaching in China<\/a><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" When you\u2019re first starting out in the teach abroad field, there can be a steep learning curve when it comes to the hiring process in China. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7566,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"\r\n When you\u2019re first starting out in the teach abroad field, there can be a steep learning curve when it comes to the hiring process in China. In your home country, hiring has probably been a fairly straightforward process. You interview, get the job, and show up for your first day of work in your nicest outfit.<\/p>\r\n When teaching abroad, things can be quite different. There are a few key things to know about the legal aspects of the process to ensure that you don\u2019t end up incurring extra fees for yourself or wind up in a tough bind.<\/p>\r\n\r\n When you leave a school once your contract is up, ideally they will issue you two documents. The first is a release\/cancellation letter which releases their hold on your visa. The other is a government-style reference document that asks whether your performance was good\/satisfactory\/negative. The vast majority of schools will provide both of these documents with a positive reference, ensuring that you\u2019re able to get another work visa down the line. However, there are some situations to be wary of.<\/p>\r\nRelease Letter<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
How to obtain a release letter<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
Takeaway<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
Release Letter<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\r\n