Switching from student visa to work visa

Dear Mrangry:

Here is what I can tell you about traveling back to home because I currently have a teacher who must go home to deal with some family issues.

1. You will need to do a COVID test 72 hours before you board the plane and the paperwork must be in English and stamped (the Chinese red stamp thing that all documents have to make them legal)
2. If you don't get the Chinese vaccine before you leave you may not be able to return.  Best to get the shots before you go back.
3. Flights are stupid expensive right now but you might be fine booking a one-way and then deal with it.
4. Be prepared not to be able to return for a while, so is your visa going to be valid if you are stuck for 6 months abroad?  If not take what you most value with you as you may need to leave stuff behind.
5. Coming back right now can be murky and it depends on where you are coming from.  Every country has different rules it seems.  However, China is insisting on a COVID test and COVID blood test and both need to have the embassy stamp on that document 72 hours prior to you flying back.  You really need to check with your local embassy back home and make sure you fully comply with the rules they tell you.

As for quarantine rules, well it will depend.  We can't seem to get a firm answer but it seems that if the person has been vaccinated with the Chinese shot and has a negative test they may not have to quarantine.  No one can say for sure yet, at least that has been the case in Jilin Prov. 

For now we are recommending to our foreign teachers NOT to leave China yet.  Until the rules are clear and the policy is clear it's probably better to wait.  However if you must go home you should prepare for a long delay in returning so you should consider what you leave behind as it may be here a while. 

Finally, while China has opened the borders a little it's mostly for returning Chinese not foreigners.  There are some exceptions and a few countries that have "free" visa rules with China have been allowed in.  That is changing but for now it works, however, China has not (yet) changed its policy about having the Chinese vaccine to enter China.  We have heard that may change.

Also, years ago, over 10 years ago it was possible to go to HK or Korea and change a visa from tourist or other to a working visa, that is NOT allowed anymore.  ALL NEW Working Visas must be done in the country of origin which is why we can't hire anyone right now who is not currently in China.  It has been nearly 18 months since any Letters of Invite (LOI) have been issued and you must get an LOI before you can get the working visa from your home country Chinese Embassy.  Until that changes no new hires from abroad can come to China.

BTW I am the foreign teacher manager for my company so I do know what I am saying.  Okay I hope this helps you or anyone else.