EMPLOYMENT - Living Abroad in Beijing - page 246

( www.bjgaj.gov.cn ) , or with a knowledgeable China visa service to see what your current
best options are.
Spouses are not allowed to work on the dependent visa, and if they want to, they'll
need to apply for their own Z visa once they've found a company that is willing to employ
them. As for a social life, however, they have little to worry about when it comes to making
friends and being busy. Expats in Beijing are extremely friendly and always welcoming to
new members in their ever-changing circles. There are endless social groups, such as the
International Newcomers Network (INN) and Stitch 'n Bitch, not to mention cooking, hik-
ing, craft, volunteer, and educational groups. Admittedly, Beijing tàitai (wives) are a much
more powerful, organized group than the ji ā tíng fùnán (house husbands), so there is a ready
supply of day or evening groups with a bias toward women. Men, however, might find new
soul mates via Beefsteak and Burgundy, the Hash House Harriers, or one of the many sports
groups.
The Job Hunt
While it's true to say that almost anyone can find a job in China, the Chinese authorities are
not interested in attracting the unskilled, and regulations are ever tightening to ensure that
the incoming talent perform duties not possible by the locals. That means Beijing is not the
place for a gap year where under-30s can pick up a casual job behind a bar or serving tables
in a restaurant. Jobs are primarily full time, and only occasionally part time. Anything re-
sembling casual work is typically cash in hand, and not something that will pave the way
for a visa.
English-language schools aside, Chinese companies rarely employ foreigners who aren't
fluent in Chinese or who have premium-level skills that warrant the employment of a per-
sonal interpreter. That might seem a little limiting, but given that there are more than 25,500
foreign-funded enterprises in Beijing, you will find that a wide variety of jobs do in fact ex-
ist. Beijing is the workplace for foreign doctors, lawyers, high-school teachers, investment
managers, chefs, hotel managers, and more. Currently there is a particular push for talent in
engineering, pharmaceuticals, IT and telecommunications, R&D, intellectual property law,
international patent affairs, and finance.
Regardless of the need, you won't simply be able to fall into these jobs—you'll need
to come bearing the appropriate qualification, which, in most cases, means a university de-
gree and a given number of years of experience. Unlike in some other countries, however,