Can international students work while studying in China?
Students are always looking for ways to earn money while studying abroad to ease the financial burden on their parents. In the past, students who decided to study MBBS in China also wanted to work legally while studying, but this was not possible in the past. Now, however, the situation has changed, and the Chinese government has taken the bold decision to allow foreign students over the age of 18 to work while studying in China.
According to the Chinese Ministry of Education, students can now work in China while studying. However, it is imperative to abide by the conditions and rules set by the Chinese Ministry of Education.
However, the Chinese government has imposed some rules on foreign students working in China while studying abroad, and the Chinese Ministry of Education has clarified its control measures for foreign students working in universities and colleges.
which are explained below:
Foreign students who wish to work while studying in China must be at least 18 years old.
Diploma (three-year), bachelor, master, and doctoral students are allowed to work in China during their studies.
Foreign students can only work after they have spent one year in China. They are not allowed to work until one year has passed in China. The reason is that the Chinese government wants students to first adapt to Chinese culture and language to avoid problems.
Students studying in China are allowed to work eight hours a week and 40 hours a month, both on and off campus.
During summer and winter vacations, working hours increase to 16 hours a week and 80 hours a month.
Students are prohibited from working in toxic and hazardous workplaces.
Students must have insurance to cover work and school supplies.
If students work on campus, this should be limited to teaching assistants, research assistants, administrative assistants, and school public services. It should not overlap with normal teaching time.
Students must have a valid residence permit and be valid for at least six months.
They must have no criminal record, abide by the regulations of the university where they study, and comply with Chinese laws.
To participate in employment, students must have a good academic record and his/her participation must meet the requirements of the university from which he/she graduated, as the main purpose of students should be studying, and working should not be the main purpose of students.
Students must have written permission from the university before working.
International students must sign a written contract with the company they will be working for, setting out the terms and conditions of employment and hourly and monthly rates of pay. Once signed, a copy of the contract must be provided to the student’s university so that they can obtain a copy of the contract.
At the same time, the student must provide a unilateral written statement that he/she is responsible for any risks arising during the employment and that the university/consultant is not liable for any accidents.
International students working off-campus must have a written agreement, a letter from the university, and relevant documents. In accordance with the rules and deadlines applicable to employment, such as residence and work permits, they must apply to the Immigration Department of the Public Security Office of the university or vocational school where they are located within 10 days.
International students studying in China whose residence permit does not contain information about working or studying in China are not permitted to work off-campus and will be punished in accordance with the law if it is found that their residence permit does not contain information about working or studying in China.
If an international student wishes to change the period of off-campus work/study, he/she must first contact his/her university and then contact the Immigration Department of the Public Security Bureau within 10 days, submitting a new contract and a letter from the university with the details of the residence permit.
If an international student terminates his/her study contract due to termination by the employer or other reasons, he/she must submit a written notification to the school within 10 days and apply to the Department of Entry and Exit Administration of the local Public Security Bureau to change the information on the note.
The geographical scope of the work-study is limited to the administrative area of the city in which the college/university where the international student is studying is located. The duration of the work-study may not exceed the validity period of the work permit and may not be longer than one year.
The college/university reserves the right to withdraw an international student’s work permit at any time without prior notice, if necessary.
If an international student is found to be involved in illegal work/activities or working more than allowed, an investigation will be conducted and the international student will be responsible for the consequences according to Chinese law.
The education administration department at each provincial level, together with the local public security bureau, immigration administration, human resources, and social security departments, shall coordinate and supervise the study and work activities of international students in their administrative area, develop and improve the implementation of the rules on the study of international students work in light of the actual conditions of schools/universities and municipalities, and dynamically manage the workplaces of international students in accordance with relevant local regulations.
After presenting the above rules and regulations for international student’s work-study in China, the next question on students’ minds is what kind of work can international students do while studying in China?
In general, international students can do the following types of work in China:
Teaching English or other foreign languages, such as French, German, and Arabic Jobs that international students can do while studying in China. These part-time jobs offer good pay and are also honest work.
Modeling is another good option that international students can choose part-time. Various brands can often hire foreigners as models, which is another effective way for international students to earn money while studying.
Translation is another good part-time job where an international student can offer his skills to translate from Chinese into many other languages such as English, French, German, Arabic, Spanish, Russian, etc. in his spare time.
Working as a research assistant at a university is another opportunity for international students studying in China. I think this is the best opportunity for international students to work in China. Why I say this is because if you work at a university and work under a professor and help him/her with his/her research, you will increase your skills, you will be able to help the professor with publications, which will increase your profile, and you will get paid for this work to increase it even more.
Another excellent option is to work as a student assistant at your university, where you can help the university’s international relations office and the international students studying there, and the university will pay you for your help.
Working in theater and film production is another option available to today’s international students. However, students must be fluent in Chinese to get these jobs.
In conclusion, I would say that studying MBBS in China and studying in China, in general, is an excellent option. China has become a land of opportunity, inviting international students to join China’s top universities and take advantage of the scholarships and opportunities the country offers. So, stop thinking and come and contact ITSA to study in China and study MBBS in China. We at ITSA wish you all the best in your future.
