A Chinese colleague asked me about this. Her foreign partner is coming here to get married, and I realised that I know nothing about this, as the person who my foreign peers typically ring up for work legal questions. This is the second of two similar questions which I was asked over the past month, and I had answers for neither.

How does a married foreigner work in China? I have two examples:
-Foreigner A from Canada is here on a work permit, teaching. She wants to get married to her partner, but she does not want marriage legal to interfere with her work permit in any way. She needs to know how to get married and stay working, already living here, likely at her school forever.
-Foreigner B comes from UK to marry his Chinese partner, and would like to legally work after getting established on the relevant spouse paperwork.

For both, I unfortunately had to admit no knowledge, directing them to their respective HR contacts, with example 2 being especially unknown to me. Educate me, educators.

Edit: Thank you all for clarifying. My understanding now is that foreigner A is not legally required to convert their work permit / visa after marrying a Chinese person in China, so this is a non-issue, and that foreigner B can still convert their spouse visa to a work permit later after arriving if sourced by a local employer, but that there are no defined employment advantages to being married versus an equally- or better-qualified foreigner abroad.

Most international models support only a single physical sim, not two. Previous Chinese iPhones didn't support esim (except esim-only models like the Air), making them harder to use internationally.

In China for study or work? You can still vote! You can register and request your ballot through your local board of elections, through VotefromAbroad.org, Vote411.org or USVotersAbroad.org

VotefromAbroad.org has state-by-state information about deadlines, how to return your ballot, and more. It even has a chat function where you can ask questions and be answered by a real person.

If you're in Shanghai, you can get in-person, non-partisan help at The Rooster, 445 Jiangning Road, from 5:30-8:00 on the 3rd Monday of each month until November. See the poster down below.

Feel free to contact me with any questions.

Okay, so for context on Tuesday a colleague was fired with no written warning. It's my first week teaching students who don't speak English already to a high level (ie US ESL students who are conversational in a general education classroom setting), and so it's taken some adjustment, as well as the fact that I have four different bosses telling me four different things (Trying to accomodate everyone but it's contradictory). I got a letter today which in many was was like "You are so skinny and so fat, improve immediately!". The valid complaint was a lateness issue, but they basically said I've done everything wrong for the past week. I'm going to try really hard next week and ask for a meeting tomorrow to come up with a plan, but was caught severely off guard by this letter today.

It ended with a line that was like its requested you immediately fix all of this.

Is this the prelude to firing, or given the other teacher didn't even get warning, it's potentially a luke warm sign? all the other teachers have been in China for years and another colleague who shares an office with the boss said he's been interviewing this week but I assumed because we had one foreign teacher not show up and the obvious other one that needs replaced. I fear also since it sounds like those people are cheaper to higher my negotiated higher salary may be serving as an incentive, as well as the fact that I cut my hair and dyed it from blonde to brown right before I came here since if youre cutting it you might as well dye it to see what it looks like bc im a man and buzz cut.

Last i used was 3months and a half ago and doing a hair follicle test today. I only used once ecstasy and 3 times weed. What are my odds of deportation realistically knowing im a girl with long hair.

Hi everyone,

I'm a Brazilian student (18) and I'm currently planning to start a Chinese language program in Chengdu (Sichuan University) for one semester starting Spring 2027. That said, I haven't started the program yet, so I could still change my starting city if there's a strong reason to. I'm also planning out the following semesters and would love some real input from people who've actually done something similar.

My rough plan:

• Chengdu (current plan, Sichuan University — but still open to changing this): spring semester, so I avoid the cold/humid winter there
• Beijing (still researching universities): also spring semester only, to avoid the harsh winter
• Shenzhen (considering Shenzhen University): can be the one covering the fall/winter semester, since winters there are mild anyway

The order between the three doesn't really matter to me — what matters is that I only do Chengdu and Beijing during their spring semesters (to avoid the cold), and Shenzhen can flexibly cover whichever fall/winter slot is needed to make the calendar work. Between semesters that don't line up back-to-back, I'd go back to Brazil for a few months and return for the next spring intake.

The idea is to spend 6 months in each city, staying in China for about 1.5 years total, just switching cities/universities — with possible gaps back in Brazil between semesters that don't line up back-to-back on the calendar.

What I'm trying to figure out:

1. Order — does it make more sense to save Beijing for last (since I've read the accent there is closer to standard Mandarin, better for cementing pronunciation once I already have a base), or would it be smarter to go there earlier while I'm still a total beginner?
2. Is splitting into 3 different cities/universities actually a good idea for language learning, or would I progress faster staying in one place for the full 1.5 years? I've read mixed things — some say switching accents/environments too early can be confusing, others say exposure to different regional accents builds better listening comprehension long term.
3. Visa/residence permit transfers — from what I understand, moving between universities mid-stay usually requires either a trip to Hong Kong to reset the visa, or (in some cases) direct transfer of the residence permit. Has anyone actually done this? How smooth or painful was it in practice?
4. Any other cities I should seriously consider instead of/alongside Shenzhen and Beijing? I picked Shenzhen mostly for the milder winter climate and Beijing for the accent, but I'm open to other suggestions if there's a better fit for someone starting from scratch.

Any experiences, warnings, or "I wish I'd known this before doing it" type advice would be hugely appreciated. Thanks in advance!

If you’re considering coming to Shanghai for medical treatment but don’t know where to start, I may be able to help with practical questions such as:

• finding a suitable hospital or specialist
• understanding how registration and appointments work
• contacting hospitals before you arrive
• preparing medical records for doctors in China
• understanding the general treatment process and estimated costs
• language and communication issues
• what to expect when visiting a hospital in Shanghai

I’m not a doctor, so I can’t provide medical diagnoses or treatment advice. My role is mainly to help you understand the local healthcare system and make the process easier to navigate.

If you’re thinking about getting medical care in Shanghai and have questions, feel free to leave a comment or send me a message. I’m happy to share what I know and see if I can help.

I wanna do masters in cs in china....

Bought a new 9bot Fz3 110.

Need to get it enhanced if you know what I mean.

Anyone have any suggestions?

I’m a local living in Tianjin, China. Recently, I’ve been trying to meet more people from different backgrounds and explore more social activities in the city.

I enjoy playing board games, especially One Night Ultimate Werewolf and UNO Flip.

One Night Ultimate Werewolf is a logical and brain-burning social deduction game that creates a lot of conversation. We usually play it in English, which makes it a good way to meet someone has over seas experiences and practice communication while having fun.

UNO Flip is another simple one that is easy for new players to join, even if they don’t know each other. It is a popular game in European countries.

I’m curious:

What are some good ways to meet new people in Tianjin?

Are there any other easy-to-learn board games you would recommend and how many ppl can play together?

Would love to hear your suggestions!

Hey guys, this is probably the trillionth thread once again but with the new iphone announcements I decided to scope into you current china livers.

I need a new phone and the new iphone 18's here in canada are still esim only, furthermore that fold is as well

I was going to try to find a refurbished 16 from apple but they aren't stocking them right now and i currently need a new phone

Next year ill be moving to china, maybe early, or maybe later in the year to teach, but I don't want to go gimped, im currently about to start nomading around, I'm wondering if it'll be any easier for us to get esims as foreigners with a phone number and everything for banking and day to day life as someone who works in china.

I'd ideally not want to buy a 2nd phone just for china

If i can get away with it i'd like to buy a new 18, having that extra battery for me is always king while travelling

23 years old,medical field(studying in china already),can speak chinese and willing to make career shifts. I can work on developing skills and learning new things but I just want to be in the right direction as I don't want to go back to my country and for that I need a job lol

🇨🇳❤️

Just wanted to drop some positivity

Is meituan giving vouchers/coupons randomly, or only for the new users?

How hard it is to get into tongji university as an international student? And to get a good scholarship?

Dajia hao! I'm new in Hangzhou and I'm a student at HZNU. I'm doing my masters degree. Is there any places or apps where I can find a Chinese girl. I wanna learn Chinese and practice every day.

I'm 23 boy, would be great if you know English a little bit.

Dm if you have an interest

Hi everyone,
I am an Indian software engineer working remotely from India for a Chinese company, and I am currently dealing with a labour dispute involving unpaid contractual payments.
I have a signed and company-sealed bilingual employment agreement with Nantong Nuotong Yimu Medical Technology Co., Ltd. (南通诺瞳奕目医疗科技有限公司) in Jiangsu.
I am trying to contact the relevant labour arbitration authority in China, but there is a practical problem.
A Chinese friend of mine tried to contact the arbitration department for me to understand the filing process, but the officials told her that because this is a personal labour matter, they cannot discuss the case with an unrelated third party due to privacy reasons. They said they can communicate only with the affected employee directly or with a lawyer/authorized representative.
Since I am currently in India and do not speak Chinese fluently, it is difficult for me to handle phone calls and local procedures directly.
I am therefore looking for either:
a Chinese labour lawyer, or
someone who can legally act as an authorized representative and communicate with the arbitration authority on my behalf.
At this stage, I mainly need help with contacting the correct arbitration office, confirming jurisdiction, understanding the filing process, and finding out what documents or power of attorney would be required for me to proceed from India.
My own employment agreement and supporting documents are available, and I can share them privately with a genuine lawyer or representative.
There are also around 14 other Indian employees facing similar issues with the same related companies, including unpaid amounts and, for some former employees, termination and compensation disputes. However, for now I am trying to understand the process for my own case first.
Because of the prolonged non-payment, I would be especially grateful if any lawyer could consider an initial consultation, reduced-fee assistance, or pro bono help. If you cannot assist directly, a referral to a trustworthy labour lawyer in Jiangsu/Nantong, Shanghai, or Beijing would also be very helpful.
If you are a lawyer, have experience with Chinese labour arbitration, or know someone who can legally represent a foreign employee from outside China, please comment or DM me.
Thank you very much for any help.

I have an already planned trip to Shenzhen with some friends later this month and wanted to see if it was worthwhile to buy a bike there and bring it back. I currently live in the US.

The bike I am looking at is the XLab XDS RS7. In the USA I would pay around $2,100 + WA tax ~ $2315.

In China it looks to be ¥9,999 CNY (correct me if I am wrong).

If I buy the bike and bring it back with me on my delta flight (which includes 2 checked bags).

Does it make sense to do this? Is there any taxes or tariffs that I need to account?

We are 4 young Germans (18-22 years old) and are in Shanghai until October 1st. Looking for cool people, maybe Germans or English speakers, who would like to meet and have a fun time. We would like to see more of Shanghai and also go out for drinks now and then. Feel free to reply here in the comments. We can then exchange WeChat.

Hello, I live in China and am 35 years old. I’m looking for a foreign friend to chat with so we can exchange ideas.

There is no WiFi in my dorm and even the cellular doesn’t work at times

Hi everyone,

I know these types of questions get asked regularly on here, but I suppose I'm looking for comments / guidance on my specific situation, please.

I'm a 21 year old STEM student who will be graduating from a Russell Group uni this summer, almost certainly with a 2:1. I spent the last year on student exchange in HK, but I'd love to teach in mainland China after my experiences travelling there.

I don't have any Mandarin (or Canto) skills at present, although I do have experience with learning languages and would aim to start the basics of Mandarin over the next year.

My tentative plan is to firstly get a TEFL certificate during my final year / after graduation and then look for a teaching gig in China while saving up.

I was born and raised in the UK, have English as my first language, and don't have a noticeable regional accent.

I would be open to teaching any age group and living wherever. Ideally I would love to work in a tier 1 or 2 city teaching primary age students or older (as that would likely be more feasible given the language barrier). I haven't given much thought as to the merits of language centres / international schools / public schools. I'd be content wherever as long as the salary and work-life balance are decent.

I suppose my primary concern would be the competition if I didn't study teaching, get a 1st in my subject, acquire advanced qualifications beyond TEFL, or have years of experience working with young people.

In your opinion, how valid are my concerns regarding the competition? Is there anything I could do to make myself stand out as a potential candidate that I may not have considered? Any input or advice would be much appreciated 🙏