TEFL Jobs in China

No. A bachelor's degree in any subject is a condition of the Z work visa and there is no legal route around it. If you don't have one, Cambodia, Costa Rica and parts of Latin America are the markets to look at instead; our where can I teach guide walks through them.

Officially, work permits for English teachers go to citizens of the UK, Ireland, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Some provinces and universities make exceptions for non-native speakers with an English-medium degree and a strong qualification, but treat that as the exception rather than the plan.

With housing and flights covered and a completion bonus at the end, most teachers put away £600–£1,500 a month, or £8,000–£15,000 across a one-year contract. Teachers in tier-two cities often save more than those in Shanghai despite lower salaries, because rent and eating out cost so much less. See our guide to how much you can earn as a TEFL teacher.

The Z visa is the only visa that allows you to be paid for teaching in mainland China. Your employer obtains a work permit notification, you apply at your local Chinese consulate, and within 30 days of arriving you convert it to a residence permit. From accepting an offer to boarding a plane is typically six to ten weeks, most of which is getting your degree, TEFL and police check apostilled.

Most bureaus issue new work permits up to 55 for women and 60 for men, and enforcement of the limit tightened in 2026. Some second- and third-tier cities are more flexible for experienced teachers. If you're near the limit, tell us early and we'll point you at the employers and cities that can still process you.

Not to be hired, and schools generally want English-only classrooms. Daily life in the big cities is manageable with translation apps and a few phrases, and most placements pair you with a Chinese assistant teacher. Learning some Mandarin is one of the best things you can bring home from the year.

No. The 2021 reforms targeted for-profit after-school tutoring companies, which had been a big employer of foreign teachers. Schools, kindergartens, bilingual and international schools and universities were untouched and are where the demand sits now. The market is smaller than its 2019 peak but better regulated and, for teachers in schools, more stable.

The lowest-risk way in, especially for a first job. A placement is arranged before you fly, you arrive into orientation and training rather than a job hunt, and there is support on the ground while you settle. Have a look at our Sichuan TEFL internship, the Explore China programme in Shanghai and the China Graduate Program.