Looking for a challenge? Go and work in China!

Do you seem to be thinking of working in the world’s largest labour market? Then work in China is for you. The Chinese economy has grown enormously in recent years and that also makes many people see a challenge in working in this country. Do you belong to this group? Then you might run into problems in finding jobs in China. Logical, because of course you don’t know what to expect when working in a foreign country. To overcome these problems, Search Jobs Abroad has listed a number of points below. This way you know what to expect when you start working in China.

Warm welcome

Are you going to work in China? Then your first working day is one that you probably won’t forget. As an expat, you always start with a round of proposals for a new job. You give your new colleagues a hand and introduce yourself. However, this is not the case in China. Did you find a job out of the many vacancies? Then you will receive an applause on your first working day. Be sure to catch up yourself, because otherwise it will immediately be seen as rude again.

Cultural differences

Working in China differs from working in other countries in many ways. This is mainly because culture is quite different. On the shop floor, this is also reflected well. The biggest differences on the shop floor are the formal atmosphere and the hierarchy that prevails there. The Chinese have a great deal of respect for each other and newcomers have to adapt to this. This also applies to you when you work here. For example, it is normal for the Chinese to speak to them at work with their surname and in addition, everyone in the office is walking in a suit. Working in China therefore requires considerable adaptability. Do you see it as a challenge? Then you can start looking for jobs and vacancies in this country.

Language problems

Have you no knowledge of the Chinese language? Then you may think that it is impossible to work in this country in advance. However, this is not the case at all. Because more and more Westerners are filling jobs in this country, English is spoken mainly on the shop floor. Incidentally, this depends on where you go to work in China. In large cities English is mainly used as the main language, but outside these cities Chinese is the main language. For example, road signs show Chinese signs, making it much more difficult to navigate these areas. This also applies to the labour market in the national regions.

Abundant jobs

China has a very large number of inhabitants and also a large economy. Nevertheless, there is sufficient employment in the country. Searching for jobs is therefore not a difficult task. At least, if the vacancies are not in Chinese. Fortunately, there are many multinationals based in China. These companies mainly communicate in English, so you don’t have to immediately remove some vacancies from your list because of a language barrier. There is therefore a good chance that you will find a suitable job out of the many vacancies.

Search for vacancies in China

If you want to work in China, it is wise to start looking for some vacancies from your home country. Search Jobs Abroad can help you find vacancies, but you can also start looking on the internet yourself. However, we recommend that you only search for vacancies in the big cities. This is because the communication outside is often conducted in Chinese. So if you don’t know the Chinese language, it becomes quite difficult. In the big cities, English is the main language and therefore it is easier and more sensible to look for vacancies here. There is a good chance that a search via the internet will not yield much. Why not? Because the Chinese are generally looking for a job in their own network. When you know someone who works in China, it is wise to get yourself introduced to someone with a high position. This makes it easier to work in China.

Do you need a visa?

Yes, both tourists and people going to work in China must have a visa. When you start working in China, you have to apply for the so-called Z visa. This is better known to us as the work visa. You can request these from the Chinese embassy. Always do this well in advance, so that you can leave early to work in China. Have you entered the country with a tourist visa and have you decided you want to work here? Then you have to leave the country. After all, you have to submit an application for a work visa and the procedure should not be allowed to wait when you are staying in the country. Are you going to work temporarily in China? Then you get an F visa. This is mainly used for business visits. This visa only gives you the right to work in China on time. Want to work longer in China? Then apply for the work visa.