Pay, visas and 11 live teaching jobs, from Shanghai to Sichuan
Still the biggest English teaching market in the world, with strong pay, housing support and jobs for first-timers and experienced teachers alike. Here's what each route pays, who can apply and how to get there legally.
We recruit for 12 programmes in China, so the first question isn't whether you can go, it's which route fits you. Start here.
Every role below comes with a legal Z work visa, and our service is free for teachers.
12 to 15-month contracts with the strongest pay and benefits.
Language school · Yingfu Shijiazhuang
Shijiazhuang, Hebei · Ages 3 to 14 · Starts March to December 2027
You'll need: a degree, a TEFL, 2+ years' work experience after graduating and a UK, Irish, US, Canadian, Australian, NZ or South African passport. 13-month contract.
See the job and apply
Language school · Shanghai Meiiji
Shanghai · Ages 3 to 14 · Starts year-round
You'll need: a degree, a TEFL and a native English passport. No experience needed.
See the job and apply
Language centres · Beijing and Tianjin
Beijing or Tianjin · Ages 6 to 16 · Starts year-round
You'll need: a degree, CELTA or a 120-hour TEFL, and a native English passport.
See the job and apply
Schools · ECHO
Hangzhou, Suzhou and other cities · Starts February and September
You'll need: a degree in any subject and a clean record.
See the job and apply
Language school · EF Chengdu
Chengdu · Starts every month
You'll need: a degree and a TEFL. 15-month contract.
See the job and apply
Language centres · English 1
200+ centres in 50+ cities · Ages 3 to 16 · Starts year-round
You'll need: a degree and a UK, Irish, US, Canadian, Australian or NZ passport.
See the job and apply
Public schools · English Program Sichuan
Chengdu and 14 other cities · Kindergarten to university · Starts February and August
You'll need: a degree, a 100+ hour TEFL and a native English passport. 16 to 20 teaching hours a week.
See the job and apply
Kindergartens · South African applicants
Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chongqing and 6 more · Ages 2 to 6 · Starts year-round
You'll need: South African citizenship, a degree and a 120-hour TEFL. No experience needed.
See the job and applyGet an email when new China jobs open, along with other well-paid roles we're recruiting for.
Get China job alertsThree months to one or two semesters, with free accommodation and a work visa. The lowest-risk way to try China.
6 months · Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang
Ages 4 to 16 · Starts any month
You'll need: a degree and a TEFL. No experience needed.
See the programme and apply
3 to 5 months · Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen and more
Kindergarten to high school · Monday to Friday, weekends off
You'll need: a degree in any subject and a recent criminal record check.
See the programme and apply
One or two semesters · Sichuan
Primary to university · Starts February or August
You'll need: a degree and fluent English. Free 120-hour TEFL included.
See the programme and apply
One semester · Jiangsu, Guangdong and Zhejiang
Kindergarten to high school · Orientation in Beijing
You'll need: a degree, a TEFL or 2 years' experience, a native English passport, aged 20 to 50.
See the programme and applyPay, hours and students vary more between types of school than between cities. Here's how the routes we recruit for compare.
| Feature | Language centres | Public and state schools | Kindergartens | Short-term programmes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pay | RMB 15,000–30,000 a month | RMB 7,000–20,000 a month | RMB 8,000 a month after tax | RMB 6,000–8,000 a month |
| Housing | Usually an allowance | Free apartment or an allowance | Free, arranged by the school | Free room included |
| Hours | Often afternoons, evenings and weekends | Weekdays, 15–20 teaching hours a week | Weekdays, evenings free | Weekdays, weekends free |
| Students | Children and teens in small groups | Kindergarten to university, larger classes | Ages 2 to 6, with a co-teacher | Kindergarten to high school |
| Contract | 12–15 months | 10–12 months | 12 months | 3 months to 2 semesters |
| Best for | Saving the most in a big city | Long holidays and a school routine | Teachers who love little ones | First-timers and gap years |
Figures are from our partners' current job details.
China has more English learners than any other country, from toddlers to business people, and native-level teachers are in demand in almost every city. Since the 2021 education reforms limited for-profit tutoring in school subjects, hiring has shifted towards kindergartens, state and bilingual schools and licensed language schools, with more stable contracts as a result.
The trade-off is paperwork. China's work visa rules are strict and properly enforced, so you'll need your degree, TEFL and criminal record check authenticated before you fly. Get that right, and the rewards are among the best in TEFL.
A tourist, business or student visa doesn't allow you to work in China, whatever an employer tells you. Every role on this page comes with a sponsored Z work visa and a residence permit.
Private schools teaching small groups of children and teens, usually with the highest salaries and evening or weekend hours.
State schools and universities with bigger classes, weekday hours, long holidays and housing often included.
One of China's biggest employers of new teachers, with weekday hours, small children and a co-teacher beside you.
The best-paid jobs, but they usually want a teaching licence such as a PGCE or QTS and classroom experience.
Salaries in China go a long way. With housing covered or subsidised and day-to-day costs well below the UK's, many full-year teachers save more than they ever have.
Monthly salary in a typical full-year job, about £1,600–£3,100
Monthly housing allowance, where housing isn't included
Typical flight allowance on full-year contracts
A bowl of noodles or a plate of dumplings at a local restaurant
Most metro rides, in cities with some of the best transport in the world
Many contracts pay a bonus or flight money when you finish your year
Here's an illustrative budget for a full-year teacher in a second-tier city such as Chengdu or Hangzhou, renting their own apartment. Your numbers will depend on your city, your package and how much you travel.
| Take-home pay, after tax | about RMB 16,500 |
| Rent for a one-bedroom apartment | RMB 3,500 |
| Utilities, internet and phone | RMB 600 |
| Groceries and eating out | RMB 3,000 |
| Metro, taxis and transport | RMB 300 |
| Weekend trips and travel | RMB 1,500 |
| Going out, gym and hobbies | RMB 1,000 |
| Left to save | about RMB 6,600 |
That's roughly £700 a month, before any completion bonus or flight allowance.
Teachers in cities like Chengdu, Hangzhou and Suzhou often save more than teachers in Shanghai, even on a lower salary, because rent and eating out cost so much less.
Short-term programmes are about experience rather than savings. RMB 6,000–8,000 with free housing covers a comfortable life, with a little left for travel.
Arrive with around £500–£800 to cover your first few weeks, a deposit if you're renting, and anything your school reimburses later.
Requirements are set by the work permit rules, so they're similar across employers. For most of our roles you'll need:
No Mandarin needed, and many roles don't require teaching experience. Not TEFL qualified yet? See the courses we recommend for China.
Allow two to three months in total.
An online interview, sometimes with a short demo lesson, then a contract.
Your degree, TEFL and criminal record check are legalised in your home country. This is the step that takes longest, so start early.
Your employer applies for your work permit and sends you the notification letter.
You apply for the Z visa at a Chinese visa centre or consulate, usually within a week or two.
Within 30 days of arriving, your school helps you convert the visa into a residence permit.
Most foreign teachers need a 120-hour TEFL for the work permit, and most first jobs in China are with children. Some of our programmes include a free TEFL, so check the job card first. If yours doesn't, book through ESLstarter for our discounted prices with partner TEFL UK.
£133£279
ESLstarter price, only when you book here
from£63
ESLstarter price, only when you book here
Good to know: your TEFL certificate is authenticated along with your degree for the visa, so it needs to come from a provider whose accreditation can be checked. Aiming for bilingual or international schools later? The Ofqual-regulated 168-hour Level 5 TEFL (£239) is at the same level as CELTA.
Our China roles stretch from Shanghai and Beijing to Sichuan and the south. Pay, living costs and climate vary more between Chinese cities than between many countries.
China's most international city, with the highest salaries, the most language schools and rents to match.
The capital's history, culture and huge job market, with Tianjin just half an hour away by high-speed train.
Lakes, gardens and canals an hour from Shanghai, with strong pay and a calmer pace of life.
Pandas, spicy food and famously relaxed locals, with low living costs and some of our biggest programmes.
Warm, fast-moving cities in the south, next door to Hong Kong and full of opportunity.
Where your salary goes furthest, you'll be one of only a few foreigners, and the experience is at its most authentic.
Pandas in Chengdu, high-speed trains to ancient water towns, weekends on the Great Wall and long holidays for trips across Asia. A year in China goes faster than you think.
We only work with employers that sponsor work visas properly. Wherever you apply, these are the questions we'd ask before saying yes.
Only a Z work visa and residence permit let you teach legally. Walk away from any job that starts on a tourist or business visa.
Ask whether housing is provided or paid as an allowance, how much, and whether you'll need to pay a deposit upfront.
"20 hours a week" can mean 20 teaching hours inside a 40-hour working week. Ask for both numbers.
Flight allowances and completion bonuses usually depend on finishing your contract. Check exactly when and how they're paid.
Ask whether visa, medical and document costs are reimbursed, and whether you'll get a hotel while you find a flat.
To move to a new employer in China you'll need a release letter from your current one. Ask about it before you sign.
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Full-year English teaching jobs in China typically pay RMB 15,000 to RMB 30,000 a month, usually with housing or a housing allowance and a flight allowance on top. Public school programmes start lower, from around RMB 7,000, and short-term starter programmes pay RMB 6,000 to RMB 8,000 a month with free accommodation included.
Not legally on a work visa. China's Z work visa for foreign teachers requires a bachelor's degree in any subject, and every China job we recruit for asks for one. Be wary of anyone offering a teaching job without a degree, as it usually means working on the wrong visa.
Yes, in most cases. Foreign English teachers generally need a TEFL certificate of at least 120 hours, or two years of teaching experience, for the work permit. Several of our programmes, including ECHO, Teach and Discover Sichuan and the teacher trainee programme, include a free 120-hour TEFL. Otherwise, see the courses we recommend for China.
Most China teaching jobs require a passport from the UK, Ireland, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand or South Africa because of work permit rules. Some programmes are more flexible: Teach and Discover Sichuan, a government-backed exchange, welcomes fluent non-native speakers with a degree.
Yes. Our short-term programmes last from three months to one or two semesters, with a work visa, free accommodation and a monthly salary of RMB 6,000 to RMB 8,000. They're a lower-risk way to try China before committing to a full-year contract. See the short-term programmes.
Yes. South Africa is one of the countries whose citizens can get a work permit to teach English in China, and most of our China programmes accept South African applicants. Our kindergarten programme recruits South African teachers specifically.
The Chinese school year has two main intakes, around February and August or September, which is when public school programmes start. Many language schools, kindergartens and short-term programmes start every month. Allow two to three months to prepare documents and get your visa.
No. Schools want English-only classrooms, and many placements pair you with a Chinese co-teacher or assistant. Translation and payment apps make daily life manageable, and some employers, including English 1, offer free Mandarin lessons.
Pick the route that suits you and apply in a few minutes. Our service is free.
We currently have the following programs available in China
