THE HARD FACTS ABOUT $ALARIES

As with Chinese Nationals travelling to your country for employment,  they expect to paid local salaries; however, the Chinese Government recognises that most foreign [overseas] applicants for teaching positions in China receive salaries in their home countries considerably higher than those paid to local Chinese teachers, and also enjoy a higher standard of living.

An average Chinese teacher salary in 2003 was [universities & colleges] 1,950 RMB per month and for Middle Schools 1,100 RMB per month (China Bureau of Statistics). On these salaries most teachers support their families in a reasonable manner and enjoy a comfortable [local] lifestyle. However, for foreign teachers, the Government of China, through SAFEA Approved schools, guarantees a minimum standard of western accommodation and salaries that bear some semblance [buying power parity] to those received in their home countries.  In order to arrive at a salary package that would satisfy most applicants, the government considered the following factors:

• Comparative costs of living
• Provision of high standard accommodation
• Salary free from taxation
• Basic health care
• Reimbursement of airfares

Teacher applicants who wish to be rewarded relative to their own domestic salary rates, especially those wanting home country salaries equivalent to 35 to 40 hours per week work, but for which they will only work for 12-16 hours per week teaching in China, should seriously consider the following.

When one considers that the cost of living in China is between 1/10th to ¼ that of Australia, North America and Europe and the fact that no overtime payments have been included in the above figures, the salary package offered is not unattractive and often not that much less than one would receive at home, but without the opportunity to experience the unique culture and traditions of the world's fastest growing economy.

Any person seeking a position teaching in China should ensure the recruiting entity is SAFEA or Local Foreign Affairs Office authorised and that the school is Foreign Affairs Office accredited and approved to employ foreign teachers. Failure to do so may result in your taking a position that is in contravention of the law and if the hosting organisation is not licensed, and many are not, you will have no recourse if they fail to honour the contract, compell you to work unreasoinably long hours, do not pay your salary, fail to reimburse your airfare and place you in sub-standard accommodation. All SAFEA authorized organisations are issued a number, such as hereunder, which may be checked against SAFEA, Beijing records.