Ask Headmaster Ken

Hi Dr Greg,*

There is a question I'd like to ask about visas for some friends of mine.

I live in Chongqing which has a reputation for playing hard and fast with the visa regulations. All the staff at every private school in the city as far as I'm aware came into China on a tourist visa and then were granted a residency permit (none have Z-visas). Now there is talk that the PSB is going to adhere to the rules that came into place around the time of the Olympics (i.e., much stricter enforcement of regulations).

The PSB has been keeping a close eye on foreigners here in Chongqing. They have a list that they have been updating and coming to visit foreigners to check if they have a Z-visa and a residency permit (they came to my door a month or so ago but i have a Z-visa so nothing to worry about there).

Last week they also did some inspections of the private schools, charging in and demanding that all the foreigners' passports be presented to them (something that has never happened before). Also my girlfriend had a call from the PSB asking her if she knew the whereabouts of all foreigners she used to be the contact number for.

Have you ever heard of a city or province kicking out all the foreigners.. well the foreigners who don't have Z-visas but still have residency permits? Like I said before all the private schools here in Chongqing make you come on a tourist visa to do a job interview before they will employ them, just give them a residency permit without a Z-visa.

I have some friends at private schools that are getting really nervous about this, none of them have saved up money for a return trip home and their schools just keep giving them reassuring platitudes. I know that a lot of new applications for permits without a Z-visa are being rejected (also a few are not). I'm just wondering if the PSB is willing to go so far as to deport all of the private school teachers in the city in what looks like a massive house-cleaning.

*Note: Joel, I moved this to Ken's forum as I think he is in a better position to answer this question than I am.

As you probably know, the PSB has broad authority. It seems certainly within the scope of their authority to convert improperly obtained FRPs into exit visas.

I have seen the PSB demand to see passport entry stamps and Z visas for all employees at schools.

What may seem a "gray area" today may well be utterly illegal tomorrow.

The winds of politics subject to change, as well as the focus of enforcement. Just because some regulations were not stringently enforced before does not mean they never will be.

That is why on this website we strongly encourage people to only work at fully licensed schools on the proper visas.

I'd advise my friends in such a situation to save for a rainy day. And in China, any day can become suddenly rainy.

Thanks for the reply Ken.

Have you any precedent for a mass removal of foreigners before? I'm telling people to do exactly as you advised (as in save their money in case they get deported suddenly) but I think the advice is falling on deaf ears. Maybe it's more of a case that some people don't want to hear it because they think if they ignore it it will just go away.

I'm not aware of any "mass removal" of foreigners. However, that is not the only remedy available to the PSB. They could take any number of actions including but not limited to fines or requiring the FT to exit and re-entry on proper documents.

As for having enough funds for an emergency, I would think that would be prudent for anyone, anywhere. In China however, it is particularly prudent due to the uncertainty in employment situations in general.

Thank you for the response, I always save but I'm one of those foreigners that lives quite Chinese. I only eat western food maybe once or twice a month and never go out drinking and other such things that seem to amuse expats my age.

I've been talking to my friends and telling them they should take it seriously and most have, the others I suppose are not my concern.

Thanks again for the reply.