across the thrill of working abroad, many foreign forget to investigate a very important thing: working conditions. In this article, I bring you a basic guide to working conditions for expatriates in China, providing an overview of everything from the average salary of holidays. If you've been working here for a while or are considering a move in the near future, make sure you know your rights

Source :. JESHOOTS.COM Legal rights

Be aware of your rights, specifically the rights of guaranteed work by Chinese law. Note that the following rights are only available to you if you are legally working in China (with a valid visa and work permit). Read this for more details about the labor laws of China, but here are the basics:

• Working hours: Legally, their hours of work should not exceed 44 per week and overtime must be paid in at least 1.5 times the base salary. Some industries in China, including technology and new businesses, however, have a culture of excessive overtime (look for the "996" work week). While technically an employer can not force you to work overtime, especially not unpaid overtime, many employees work hard at all hours of the promise of a huge advantage in the Chinese New Year. In my experience, the best approach is to be kind, firm and flexible if / when you can. If there is something urgent to do for the next day, then maybe a little extra time is reasonable. If you made plans that day, just say politely that you can not. Read this guide for a more complete overtime rules in China

• Maternity leave :. This varies by city, but the national standard is 14 weeks including rest days and holidays that occur during that time. Form a family can not be part of your plan when it comes to China, but maybe somewhere along the line that will meet your special someone and settle. If and when it comes to that, make sure you know your rights. Read more about them here. Married women of childbearing age, but currently have no children should be aware they may have difficulty finding work in China. Local employees are reluctant to hire unfortunately in this demographic, as they must bear the burden of maternity benefit should your car get pregnant

• Output :. Employees are entitled to severance pay in most circumstances in case of dismissal, with the only real exception being if he is fired before the end of a period of legal trial (one month for a one-year contract) or if it was found to be engaged in illegal or corrupt activities. Severance pay equivalent to one month's salary for each year that has been legally working in the company. Remember, however, without a work permit, without payment

• Contract :. Know their rights and stand up for yourself in the workplace is crucial in China, the same as it is in any other country. Equally important it is to check your contract before you sign it. In China, it is likely to be given an English version and a Chinese version of his contract. In the case of a legal dispute, only the Chinese version will be considered valid. So before you sign up, get someone who understands Chinese to check the translation is correct. You do not want to find yourself stuck because your employer sneaked into something're not aware of. Average pay

A the same as anywhere else in the world, this depends heavily on the industry in which you work, the city you live in and the level of responsibility associated with their work. As a general guide, however, some examples based on the positions recently available eChinaJobs presented.

Most of the foreigners working in China are in education, with payment ranging violently through the positions and types of school. One of the functions English teacher at a university in Guangzhou recently was offering 8.500 to 10.000 RMB (1,200-1,400 USD) per month, a living however, it is not particularly high salary given the current cost of living in the first cities in China level. This position, however, came with a free apartment, which would greatly reduce maintenance costs.

Another position with an international school in Shanghai was offering 20,000-30,000 RMB (2.800 to 4.200 dollars) per month. This type of salary will provide a much higher standard of living, despite the job requires, without doubt, a greater workload.

Writing is another popular career choice for foreigners working in China. At entry level, employees can earn about 15,000 yuan ($ 2,100) per month, without much benefit. A senior editor in Shanghai may be able to catch a salary of 20,000-30,000 RMB (2.800 to 4.200 dollars) per month.

This is just a small snapshot of the salary ranges for foreigners working in China. During the search for a good salary package, look at the benefits as well as the basic salary, the cost of living in that particular city, and be sure to confirm whether a promised salary is before or after tax. Benefits, usually only offered to school teachers or university, may include allocation of air tickets, private medical insurance, free accommodation and more. For the duration of his contract, such benefits will save a lot of cash. Health

This is an area many foreigners working in China not enough to pay attention to. Your employer is required by law to deduct a small amount of his monthly salary as social security. Should be given an insurance card when you start working in China that can help reduce the cost of medical care if you get sick. This card however, has its limits, and if you ever need anything beyond the most basic of care in China can expect to pay through the nose.

The best option is to find an employer who offers private health insurance as part of the employment package. This denies the constant fear that a trip to a Chinese hospital that leave you in debt. Many large companies employing foreigners in China will offer this series, because they know how important it is for migrants and their families.

If your employer does not provide private health insurance, you should look at buying your own. A long-term stay in a Chinese hospital can be costly to the eye. Make sure you are prepared. After all, no one plans to get sick. Holidays and annual paid leave

Because, let's face it, everyone needs regular breaks from work. China has seven holidays, during which employers are required by law to give free time. They include:

• New Year's Day (Yuándàn jié): 1 January; not to be confused with the Chinese New Year (see below)

• Spring Festival (Chunjie) :. Sometime in late January or early February; which lasts seven days; also it is known as Chinese New Year.

• Tomb-Sweeping Festival (Qingming jié.): 4-6 April

• Labor Day (Gongren jié) :. May 1-3

• Dragon Boat Festival (Longchuan jié): Usually, around the end of June; . A three-day

• Festival of the Mid-Autumn (Zhongqiu jié): Generally, middle or end of September; last three days

• National Day (Guoqing jié) :. October 1-7; also it is known as "Golden Week".

Note that some of these holidays to avoid the Chinese lunar calendar and therefore appear on a different date each year in the Gregorian calendar (Western).

Most strange and this is important, you are prepared to work day "makeup". These occur when public holidays have extended for another few days. For example, if the official holiday falls on a Tuesday, employees can also get Monday off for having four holidays in a row. However, that extra day, then it should be done elsewhere along the line. If you want to make vacation plans, therefore, check with the earliest possible day to make your company will be. Please also note that train tickets and tickets sell out quickly during these times.

Then come to paid annual leave. After a year with the same company, employees are entitled to a measly five days of paid annual leave (although some Chinese companies offer this straight away). This only amounts to 10 days after 10 years with the same company.

Unless you are a school teacher with long holidays during the Spring Festival of China and the summer holidays, therefore, you may want to try to negotiate with your employer vacation more paid annually. Aside from giving you a little more time to travel home to see his family, you also get more opportunities to see China without the crowds synonymous with holidays. Do your research

Having worked in China since 2014, I am in no doubt about the benefits of being here: the opportunity to learn Chinese, opportunities friends do China and around the world, and ease of travel around China and other parts of Asia. But I am also no doubt about the need for employees to do their research when it comes to working conditions for expatriates in China.

Before accepting a job, always do due diligence. Investigate the employer to find no work experiences of others, investigating their rights, pay close attention to their contract, and ensure that their rights are met. Do not be afraid to stand up for yourself if you are not.

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