Not all schools in China accept Pinoy teachers, POEA warns
MARK JOSEPH UBALDE, GMANews.TV
Do's and Dont's For Pinoys intending to work in China
DO
1. Sign a contract only if it is written in a language that you understand.
2. Ensure that your prospective employer is authorized to hire foreign workers.
3. Obtain a working “Z" visa from the Chinese Embassy (Manila, Cebu or Laoag).
4. Register with the Public Security Bureau (PSB) in your locality within 24 hours of arriving in China to secure your residence permit.
5. Stay with the employer/school/hotel who arranged for your working “Z" visa.
DON’T
1. Accept a job offer that is not signed by the prospective employer.
2. Agree to housekeeper/maid/nanny jobs in mainland China.
Housekeepers/maids/nannies are not among the positions open to foreigners in China .
3. Believe agents (Chinese or Filipino) who tell you to go to China as a tourist so that they can convert your tourist “L" or business tour “F" visa to a working “Z" visa.
4. Pay anyone to get you a visa to Europe or the United States while you are a tourist in China. It cannot be done.
5. Entrust your passport to anybody - not your employer, not your agent, not your “friend." - DFA, GMANews.TV
The Department of Foreign Affairs earlier warned that there are no job openings for Filipino domestic helpers in mainland China.
MANILA, Philippines - “Roland," an education graduate, was lured to work in China as a teacher after seeing an advertisement on a newspaper.
The 23-year-old, however, found that he needed to shell out $2,000 (roughly P98,000) to get a work visa and “appropriate lodging."
After paying the fees, Roland was duped into getting an “F" visa that would expire in six months. Since foreigners cannot be allowed to work in China with a business or F-visa, Rolando had a hard time looking for a job while staying inside a cramped Beijing apartment with 45 other workers.
After a month, Roland was employed in Mongolia as a middle school teacher with a $571 (roughly P28,000) monthly salary. Before his visa expired, Roland paid a Chinese national to convert his F-visa to a working “Z-visa."
By some twist of fate, Mongolia’s Public Security Bureau raided Roland’s middle school and found his fake visa. He was detained for a month and was ordered to pay a fine of $2,212 (roughly P104,000) for illegally working in China.
Roland’s story is just one among the many sad stories of overseas Filipino workers who were lured to work in China through dubious channels, the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency said in a statement.
“While it is true that there is a need for English teachers in China, not all schools are authorized by the Chinese government to hire foreign teachers," the POEA said.
Contract breaches and illegal recruitment involve unauthorized schools and fly-by-night recruitment agencies “who hire Filipino teachers via the internet or telephone," the agency said.
The DFA noted that a growing number of Filipinos have fallen victims to illegal recruiters who entice them to work in the East Asian country as maids, nannies or housekeepers.
"They have ended up either underpaid, jobless, or jailed for working illegally or beyond their visa validity or category," the DFA said in a statement.
While there are openings for migrant workers in the skilled, technical and professional categories, the department still cautioned Filipinos regarding the validity of such offers.
Filipino workers to China must first get hold of a 'Z' visa (working) and apply for a work permit.
The following are also required to get a 'Z' visa from the Chinese Embassy in Manila or the Chinese Consulates General in Cebu and Laoag:
• A Visa Notice issued by the Municipal Foreign Economic and Trade Commission or a appropriate Chinese government unit; and
• An Alien Employment License (for those being hired by companies) issued by the Municipal Labor and Social Security Bureau.
The Chinese working visa ('Z') is valid only for 30 days.
During that period, the Filipino worker visa must immediately go through "residential formalities with the local public security bureau and the hiring company must process the Alien Employment Permit."
The Alien Employment Permit on the other hand, is issued only for employment with a specified company. Filipino workers should not accept employment elsewhere by using the Alien Employment Permit.
Meanwhile, business "F" visa holders are given to visiting foreigners or those who wish to participate in a business conference, short-term course, on-the-job training, or scientific, technological and cultural exchanges for a period not longer than six months.
“F" visa holders cannot work legally in China.
A tourist "L" visa cannot be converted to working "Z" visas or Business "F" visas. "L" and "F" visa holders who insist on working in China have little protection from abuse or mistreatment, with or without the presence of employment contracts. - GMANews.TV
Do's and Dont's For Pinoys intending to work in China
DO
1. Sign a contract only if it is written in a language that you understand.
2. Ensure that your prospective employer is authorized to hire foreign workers.
3. Obtain a working “Z" visa from the Chinese Embassy (Manila, Cebu or Laoag).
4. Register with the Public Security Bureau (PSB) in your locality within 24 hours of arriving in China to secure your residence permit.
5. Stay with the employer/school/hotel who arranged for your working “Z" visa.
DON’T
1. Accept a job offer that is not signed by the prospective employer.
2. Agree to housekeeper/maid/nanny jobs in mainland China.
Housekeepers/maids/nannies are not among the positions open to foreigners in China .
3. Believe agents (Chinese or Filipino) who tell you to go to China as a tourist so that they can convert your tourist “L" or business tour “F" visa to a working “Z" visa.
4. Pay anyone to get you a visa to Europe or the United States while you are a tourist in China. It cannot be done.
5. Entrust your passport to anybody - not your employer, not your agent, not your “friend." - DFA, GMANews.TV
The Department of Foreign Affairs earlier warned that there are no job openings for Filipino domestic helpers in mainland China.
MANILA, Philippines - “Roland," an education graduate, was lured to work in China as a teacher after seeing an advertisement on a newspaper.
The 23-year-old, however, found that he needed to shell out $2,000 (roughly P98,000) to get a work visa and “appropriate lodging."
After paying the fees, Roland was duped into getting an “F" visa that would expire in six months. Since foreigners cannot be allowed to work in China with a business or F-visa, Rolando had a hard time looking for a job while staying inside a cramped Beijing apartment with 45 other workers.
After a month, Roland was employed in Mongolia as a middle school teacher with a $571 (roughly P28,000) monthly salary. Before his visa expired, Roland paid a Chinese national to convert his F-visa to a working “Z-visa."
By some twist of fate, Mongolia’s Public Security Bureau raided Roland’s middle school and found his fake visa. He was detained for a month and was ordered to pay a fine of $2,212 (roughly P104,000) for illegally working in China.
Roland’s story is just one among the many sad stories of overseas Filipino workers who were lured to work in China through dubious channels, the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency said in a statement.
“While it is true that there is a need for English teachers in China, not all schools are authorized by the Chinese government to hire foreign teachers," the POEA said.
Contract breaches and illegal recruitment involve unauthorized schools and fly-by-night recruitment agencies “who hire Filipino teachers via the internet or telephone," the agency said.
The DFA noted that a growing number of Filipinos have fallen victims to illegal recruiters who entice them to work in the East Asian country as maids, nannies or housekeepers.
"They have ended up either underpaid, jobless, or jailed for working illegally or beyond their visa validity or category," the DFA said in a statement.
While there are openings for migrant workers in the skilled, technical and professional categories, the department still cautioned Filipinos regarding the validity of such offers.
Filipino workers to China must first get hold of a 'Z' visa (working) and apply for a work permit.
The following are also required to get a 'Z' visa from the Chinese Embassy in Manila or the Chinese Consulates General in Cebu and Laoag:
• A Visa Notice issued by the Municipal Foreign Economic and Trade Commission or a appropriate Chinese government unit; and
• An Alien Employment License (for those being hired by companies) issued by the Municipal Labor and Social Security Bureau.
The Chinese working visa ('Z') is valid only for 30 days.
During that period, the Filipino worker visa must immediately go through "residential formalities with the local public security bureau and the hiring company must process the Alien Employment Permit."
The Alien Employment Permit on the other hand, is issued only for employment with a specified company. Filipino workers should not accept employment elsewhere by using the Alien Employment Permit.
Meanwhile, business "F" visa holders are given to visiting foreigners or those who wish to participate in a business conference, short-term course, on-the-job training, or scientific, technological and cultural exchanges for a period not longer than six months.
“F" visa holders cannot work legally in China.
A tourist "L" visa cannot be converted to working "Z" visas or Business "F" visas. "L" and "F" visa holders who insist on working in China have little protection from abuse or mistreatment, with or without the presence of employment contracts. - GMANews.TV
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