As of the 20th of June 2022, the Chinese embassy has made readjustments to the Z visa (also commonly referred to as a foreign expert permit) application process for foreign workers. This includes a relaxation on Z visa applications. The Chinese government is now reopening for foreign worker applications.
PU letters no longer required
Previously, in order to teach abroad in China on a Z visa you needed to obtain a PU (invitation letter) through the China Foreign Affairs Office. A long and often arduos process with no guarantee of visa approval at the end.
Eligible candidates possessing a clean criminal background check, medical check, minimum of a bachelors degree, TEFL and from an one of the 7 eligible native english speaking countries were able to apply to be given a PU letter through the school or institution they would be working at. This later became even more strict requiring 2 years teaching experience.
The school or training centre would then apply with your documents along with a permission letter to the foreign affairs office in order to grant permission to employ you. If granted, the school would then send it to you to be able to take it to the Chinese embassy and apply for a work visa in order to enter China.
What is it like now?
The good news is that PU letters are no longer required!
In order to apply you only need:
- Hold a bachelor’s degree
- Be a fluent English speaker
- Have two years of teaching experience/teaching certification/TEFL certification
- Be from either (USA, Canada, Ireland, UK, South Africa, New Zealand or Australia)
- Be between the ages of 21 to 55
A number of readjustments were made that were causing issues for native English teachers that were outside of China with more restrictions being imposed on who could be eligible. The good news is that the process has finally relaxed and candidates that meet the above criteria are able to apply again! Yes, this includes native English speakers from outside the country.
So how can i apply?
Just apply here or message us on Skype or wechat and we will guide you through the whole process. The eligibility criteria given by the government are as follows:
- Hold a bachelor’s degree
- Be a fluent English speaker
- Have two years of teaching experience/teaching certification/TEFL certification
- Be from either (USA, Canada, Ireland, UK, South Africa, New Zealand or Australia)
- Be between the ages of 21 to 55
Useful links
Embassy Notice in English & Chinese
UK-Notice-on-Updated-Requirements-for-Chinese-Visa-Application