Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Employment contracts must now be completed for full-time employees within 30 days of
the start date.
In China, employers, if abiding by the law, have very limited rights to unilaterally fire
someone. There must be explicit evidence or records proving in detail how company rules
or the contract were breached. An employee, on the other hand, can terminate the contract
without reason, as long as they give the employer written notice 30 days in advance.
Before you sign with a company, you need to confirm that they have an employment
license authorizing them to hire foreign employees. You won't get any of your permits if
they don't have theirs. Be sure to know the term of your employment and what will and
should happen if you decide to end your contract prematurely. The term of employment will
be of particular importance to managers. For instance, there are various conditions in which
a contract becomes open ended, such as when a contract has already been renewed for two
consecutive terms. So if the person you've recruited turns sour, it can be difficult to termin-
ate them and perhaps impossible to wait out the end of their contract.
Understand the conditions of your probationary period. This period may last one month
for a one-year contract, or up to six months for a three-year contract. During this period
you can be dismissed for any reason. You also may receive only a percentage of the actual
salary; however, this can not be less than 80 percent of what you'll receive when your actu-
al employment kicks in.
Finally, make sure you know exactly when you'll be paid (usually by a given date each
month) and in what currency. Any benefits—such as housing or flights home—should also
be written into the contract, as should expenses and reimbursement systems. Be clear about
any deductions, such as tax and social insurance, any bonuses, how overtime is managed,
and if there is any penalization system, such as bonus deductions for being late.
Salary and Beneits
The salary you get is going to depend a lot on your own luck, industry, and connections.
Those in the teaching profession may earn anything from about RMB4,000 per month up
to RMB30,000 for the highly qualified doctorate holders. Other industries might see salar-
ies of RMB13,000-55,000 per month, together with packages that pad their salary by up to
an additional RMB65,000 per month in value. Sadly the golden expat days are over, and
companies, even international ones, are increasingly localizing, offering employees stand-
ard local rather than comfy international packages. It's ever more likely that your lifestyle
won't be cushioned with a living allowance, school fees for your kids, bulk-billing interna-
tional medical insurance, or even a flight home.
