Frequently Asked Questions About Teaching in China | Salaries, Visas & Jobs (2026 Guide)

What Qualifications Do You Need to Teach in China?

For most English teaching positions in China, you'll usually need:

• A passport from a recognised native English-speaking country.

• A bachelor's (undergraduate) degree in any subject.

• A TEFL, TESOL or equivalent teaching qualification.

• A clean criminal background check.

• To pass the required medical examination as part of the work permit process.

Having a master's degree, PhD or a recognised teaching qualification such as QTS can also make you more competitive and may help you secure higher-paying positions, particularly at international schools.

Who Can Legally Work as an English Teacher in China?

For most English teaching positions, China recognises applicants from native English-speaking countries for work permit purposes. These generally include the UK, Ireland, the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

South Africans are eligible for English teaching visas, although I have personally noticed that some recruiters and schools still advertise positions that exclude South African applicants. This isn't true of every school, but it's something I've seen often enough to mention.

How Much Do Teachers Earn in China?

Money is always one of the biggest questions when people start thinking about moving abroad.

The job market in China has changed quite a bit over the years, so salaries continue to change too. How much you earn depends on your qualifications, experience, the type of school you work for and where you're located.

Based on the jobs I was seeing during the summer of 2026, many native English-speaking teachers were earning between RMB 20,000–25,000 per month after tax, depending on experience. Salaries in Tier 1 cities, such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, can often reach RMB 25,000–35,000 per month, particularly for experienced teachers or those working in international schools.

Many schools also offer annual salary increases, so if you stay with the same employer for several years, it's quite possible to earn significantly more than your starting salary.

On top of your basic salary, many schools also provide benefits such as:

• Housing allowance

• Flight allowance

• Performance bonuses

• Medical insurance

If you're moving to China for the first time with a bachelor's degree and a TEFL qualification, but no previous teaching experience, I'd realistically expect offers to be somewhere around RMB 18,000–20,000 per month. In my experience, some schools will try to offer the lower end of that range simply because they know you're new to the country, so don't be afraid to negotiate.

I'm Black. Can I Teach in China?

Legally, if you're from a recognised native English-speaking country and meet the visa requirements, there is no reason why you shouldn't be able to work as an English teacher in China.

However, I'd also be doing people a disservice if I pretended that appearance never plays a role in recruitment. In my own experience, some schools and recruiters still have preferences based on appearance rather than qualifications or teaching ability, and unfortunately that can make the job search more challenging for some applicants.

It's important to stress that this isn't an official government policy, and there are many schools that recruit based on experience, personality and teaching ability alone. I also know many excellent Black teachers, from both native and non-native English-speaking countries, who have built successful careers in China with legitimate work visas.

I've also come across job advertisements expressing preferences for male teachers or describing an ideal appearance because schools believe those qualities are more appealing to parents. Personally, I find that frustrating, and I hope attitudes continue to change. Fortunately, many schools are becoming more focused on finding great teachers rather than simply fitting a particular image.

How Do I Find a Teaching Job in China?

There isn't one single way to find a teaching job in China. Over the years I've found jobs through websites, recruiters and even social media. Here are the three methods I'd recommend.

1. Foreign Job Websites

If you're outside China and don't know anybody already living here, this is probably where you'll start.

The biggest website is eChinaCities, and it's actually where I found my very first teaching job back in 2018. I'll also leave a few other websites below that are worth looking at.

My only warning with eChinaCities is that, in my experience, quite a lot of the job adverts seem to be outdated. Applying is very easy because you can upload your CV and send it to lots of schools quickly, but don't be surprised if many of them never reply.

One thing I do recommend is putting your WeChat ID on your CV. If you don't already have WeChat, download it before you start applying. Even if the school you've applied to doesn't contact you, recruiters often will. Before long you'll usually have a number of recruiters on WeChat sending you new vacancies, which is a great way to start building contacts in China.

2. Suitcase Explorer Club Can Help

Finding your first teaching job in China can feel overwhelming, especially when you're trying to work out which recruiters and schools you can trust.

Over the years, I've built up a network of recruiters and schools across China that I've either worked with myself or know to be reliable. If you'd like a bit of extra support, Suitcase Explorer Club offers a job support service where I can help review your CV, discuss the type of role you're looking for and introduce you to trusted recruiters.

I can't guarantee anyone a job, and I'd never pretend I can. What I can do is help make the process a little less confusing, answer your questions and hopefully point you in the right direction.

If you'd like to find out more, just send me an email at hello@suitcaseexplorerclub.com.

3. 小红书 Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book)

This is probably the least obvious option, but it's one that has actually worked for me.

Rather than searching for "teaching jobs in China", I'd recommend searching for kindergartens or international schools in the city you want to move to. Quite often you'll find the school's official account, which allows you to contact them directly.

Be a little careful though. If you search for general teaching jobs, you'll also come across people advertising private tutoring or cash-in-hand work. Those jobs won't provide you with a legal work visa, so if you're moving to China for the first time, I'd avoid them.

Responses on Xiaohongshu can also be quite slow, as not every school checks its messages regularly.

Interestingly, this is actually how I found my second teaching job in China. A Chinese friend searched for kindergartens in the city I wanted to return to, found the school's Xiaohongshu account and contacted them directly. That ended up being the school where I worked for the next three years.

What Types of Schools Can You Teach At in China?

This is where you explain:

• Training schools

• Kindergartens

• Public primary schools

• Public middle/high schools

• International schools

• Universities

When I first came to China in 2018, most teaching jobs were in private training schools. These schools offered after-school English classes, so the working hours were usually in the afternoons and evenings, often from around 5 pm until 9 pm, with weekends being the busiest time of the week.

After COVID, the teaching market changed dramatically. Many training schools closed or changed the way they operated, and kindergarten positions became the most common jobs for foreign teachers.

More recently, I've noticed another shift. There are now far more opportunities in international schools, as well as public primary and secondary schools. While kindergartens are still very common, teachers today have a much wider variety of schools to choose from than when I first arrived in China.

What Are Schools Like in China?

This is one of those questions that's really difficult to answer because it varies massively from school to school. I can only really speak from my own experience, having worked in training schools, kindergartens and now an international school. I've never worked in a public school, so I don't think it would be fair for me to comment on something I haven't experienced.

In my experience, international schools are generally the most organised and well-funded. Everything tends to be done properly, whether that's visas, contracts, administration or the curriculum. Of course, there are always exceptions, but I'd say you're probably less likely to run into problems at a good international school.

Kindergartens are a funny one because I hear so many different stories. Some people absolutely love them and stay for years, while others leave after one contract and swear they'll never do it again. The working day is usually longer than at other schools, but you're normally with the same class every day. I actually quite like that because you know your routine, you know your children and you know what you're walking into each morning.

Training schools are where I started when I first came to China in 2018. Back then, they were by far the most common jobs for foreign teachers. The pace is completely different because you're teaching lots of different classes, often with students of different ages and abilities. It can be really fun and it keeps things interesting, but it can also be exhausting. Looking back, I honestly think training schools are probably where the most burnout happens because you're constantly going from one class to the next with very little time to stop.

More than anything, though, don't get too caught up in the type of school. A brilliant kindergarten will always be better than a badly run international school, and an amazing training school will always beat a school with poor management. The people running the school make all the difference.

My biggest piece of advice is to ask plenty of questions before accepting a job. Ask about working hours, office hours, holidays, tax, visas and exactly what's expected of you. If you're moving to China for the first time, it's difficult because you don't know the reputation of different schools yet.

Once you're already in China, though, use the teaching community. Join WeChat groups, ask other teachers and see if anyone has worked at the school you're applying for. People are usually very honest, and a school's reputation among teachers will often tell you far more than the interview ever will.

How Long Does It Take to Find a Teaching Job in China?

One thing I've learned over the years is that things move very quickly in China.

As I'm writing this, I've literally just handed in my resignation and accepted a new job in an amazing location. I contacted an agent on a Monday morning, and by that afternoon she had already sent me a position in exactly the area I wanted to move to. The following day I had an interview, and before the interview had even finished, they told me they'd like to offer me the job. Two days later, the contract had been signed and stamped.

Of course, that's not always the case, but it shows just how quickly things can happen.

If you already have teaching experience in China and a strong CV, it's not unusual to have interviews arranged within a few days. If you're applying for your first teaching job from overseas, the process will usually take a little longer because there are more documents to prepare and the visa process has to be completed.

My advice is to have your CV, qualifications and documents ready before you start applying. Schools often want to move quickly, and if you've got everything prepared, you'll be in a much better position to take advantage of the right opportunity when it comes along.

What Are Teaching Job Interviews Like in China?

Honestly, in my experience, they're a lot more relaxed than job interviews in the UK.

Now, if you're interviewing for a very prestigious international school, then I'd expect the interview to be much more formal and more like what you'd experience back home. They'll probably ask deeper questions about your teaching philosophy, classroom management and previous experience.

But for the majority of interviews I've had in China, they've actually been pretty straightforward.

I think I've had around six teaching interviews in China over the years, and I've only ever been asked to teach a demonstration lesson once. Even then, it only lasted about five or ten minutes.

Personally, I actually think every teacher should have to do a demonstration lesson. Just because someone comes from a native English-speaking country doesn't automatically make them a good teacher. I've met some fantastic teachers from all over the world, and unfortunately I've also met native speakers who really weren't very good teachers. I'd much rather schools judged people on how they actually teach than simply where they're from.

Most of my interviews haven't involved trying to prove myself as a teacher. They're usually much more conversational. They'll ask about your previous experience, when you can start, what age groups you've taught and other fairly straightforward questions. Quite a few of the questions are things you've probably already written on your CV.

One thing that might surprise female applicants is that you can sometimes be asked questions that would be considered inappropriate in countries like the UK.

When I returned to China a few years ago, I remember being asked whether I was planning to have a baby. I actually replied, "Well, that's really none of your business," and added that in the UK you wouldn't be allowed to ask that in an interview. I still got the job!

It's worth knowing that questions like this do occasionally come up, particularly for women in their late twenties or thirties. Whether you choose to answer them is entirely up to you, but don't be too shocked if you're asked.

I've also been asked things like, "What do your parents do?" I honestly have no idea what they're trying to learn from that. Maybe it's just conversation, maybe they're trying to understand your background, or maybe it's a cultural difference. I'm genuinely not sure.

Overall, though, don't overthink the interview. In my experience they're much more relaxed than people expect, and schools are usually just looking for someone friendly, enthusiastic and reliable who they think will fit into their team.

Can I Negotiate My Salary?

Yes... but it depends on the school.

In my experience, the big international schools tend not to negotiate very much. They usually have a standard contract and salary structure, and that's what they offer everyone. When I recently received two offers from international schools, neither of them was willing to change any part of the contract or salary package.

Smaller schools and kindergartens, however, are often much more flexible. If you have experience, good references or qualifications that make you stand out, I'd definitely say it's worth trying to negotiate.

Another thing to think about is timing.

Most teachers will decide whether they're staying for another year around three months before their contract finishes. That gives schools plenty of time to recruit a replacement.

If a school is still looking for a teacher in mid to late July for an August start, they're probably under a bit more pressure. Maybe a teacher pulled out at the last minute, or maybe they simply haven't found the right person yet. Either way, you usually have a little more negotiating power because they need someone quickly.

One thing that always makes me laugh is that schools will often ask, "What salary are you expecting?"

Personally, I never like answering that question first. I'd much rather hear what they're prepared to offer before I say anything. After all... they're the ones with the budget!

If you're already teaching in China, don't be afraid to mention your current salary. Schools expect experienced teachers to progress in their careers, so it's perfectly reasonable to be looking for an increase. If it's your first job in China, that's obviously a little different, but it's still worth remembering that the first offer isn't always the best offer.

My biggest piece of advice? Be realistic, be polite and don't be afraid to negotiate. The worst they can say is no.

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