The challenge for China, is not just identifying illegal foreigners who are breaking exit and entry regulations, arrest, fine, detain and deport them in contradiction to the needs and demands of the education system, but to firstly identify some reciprocal changes to visas that would facilitate more foreign talent into China.

For example, foreigners applying for grade 2 visas in UK which is equivalent to the Chinese Z visa are allowed to take a part time job at the same level as their primary employment.

A simple change to the Z visa would instantly solve three issues, it will attract more foreign talent to China who know that they can supplement their income through additional part time work, it will raise the standards in tuition centers where qualified and experienced teachers could find work and it would reduce the number of illegal foreigners working in the tuition centers.

It is reasonably documented that exit and entry police expect foreigners to be familiar with all of their rules and regulations irrespective of the advice they have received from Chinese third parties in good faith. However, Chinese HR managers must also be familiar with the law and not entice foreigners into illegal practices.

At the moment the benefits for employing illegal foreign teachers outbalance the penalties imposed on the school or tuition centers who continue to trade and often continue employing illegal teachers. Whereas the penalties imposed on the illegal foreign teacher are far more punitive and disproportionate to their misdemeanor; loss of job, loss of house, fines, detention, deportation, loss of relationship, and a recognition that they have to rebuild their lives elsewhere, with no rights of appeal.

Foreigners who are good teachers are needed in China, that is a fact that is not going to disappear overnight. As more negative stories appear on Chinese social media and become widespread, China becomes less attractive to the foreign qualified and experienced teacher. As teachers, educators, school administrators, parents and students we should work together to improve the quality standards in Chinese schools and not prevent foreign teachers coming to China.Without a good quality education system the Chinese Dream cannot be achieved.

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