Moving Between Schools in Shanghai

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Helen Back
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Joined: Fri Dec 28, 2012 4:16 pm

Moving Between Schools in Shanghai

Post by Helen Back »

Quick question, do schools in Shanghai allow their teachers to move between schools (in Shanghai) after contracts are finished? How do the schools treat teachers coming from other schools in Shanghai? Local or expat contracts? I heard SAS treats these teachers as locals, but then Yew Chung gives overseas hire package. Just to clarify, I'm one part of a teaching couple with no connection to China other than work. Thanks in advance.
sid
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Joined: Sat Dec 02, 2006 11:44 am

Re: Moving Between Schools in Shanghai

Post by sid »

I've not worked in Shanghai, but basically the deal in most countries (except the ME where employers can legally prevent transfers) is that it is up to the school that would hire you. Assuming you complete your contract to the satisfaction of your first employer, you are then free to move to the second. The first might not like it, but there isn't really anything they can do, unless they feel like complaining to the second school, who is under no obligation to care.
In some countries, there are gentleman's agreements against poaching.
nikkor
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Joined: Thu Nov 18, 2010 11:59 pm

Re: Moving Between Schools in Shanghai

Post by nikkor »

Schools have no problem hiring teachers from schools in the same city as long as they finish their contracts. Schools generally have their own policies regarding local or expat status of new hires. I think most schools would consider you a local hire.
mysharona
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Joined: Thu Jan 13, 2011 1:25 am

Re: Moving Between Schools in Shanghai

Post by mysharona »

Concordia would definitely consider you a overseas hire and I believe SAS would as well.
PsyGuy
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Post by PsyGuy »

They dont really stop you. ISs especially in Shanghai and other metropolitan areas want ITs who will stay for longer contracts, it just maximizes their return on investment, some will be more aggressive than other in incentivising you. Some will do so negatively such as withholding your departure airfare, or suggesting they will revoke your visa or foreign experts license. In the end though they cant keep you from leaving. This is true whether you complete your contract or not. ISs in China cant use a reference or arbitrarily declare you in breach of contract as a management tool to force your compliance or compulsion.

The major difference is that if you move ISs within a region, you will likely be classified a local hire and not an OSH hire. Local hires generally get reduced benefits such as travel and housing. This is more common at lower tier ISs than upper tier ISs.The exception to this is if your hired at a fair, even if your within the same region and locality.

I concur with @Sid that in Shanghai and many cosmopolitan cities there are gentlemans agreements or understandings not to poach staff. These are handshake agreements though and they are at times ignored. Leadership does not want to get into a bidding competition for an IT.

Unless you married a local, SAS is in all likelihood going to consider you an OSH
gccoach
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Re: Moving Between Schools in Shanghai

Post by gccoach »

I'm currently in Shanghai and there is a gentleman's agreement between schools. They also are in contact, if you try to secretly interview with one your admin will find out before you can return to work. At my school it is in the contract that if you break your contract you can not be hired by another school in Shanghai for 6 months. If the contract is up you are free to move and we have hired many new staff members this way the past few years. They are all on local hire contracts.
PsyGuy
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Post by PsyGuy »

@gccoach

Its difficult to keep anything a secret if you openly publish it on your resume. Such terms that bar you from employment are unenforceable, not is any other IS compelled to respect those conditions. They may choose too, but the contract isnt going to keep them from doing so if they are so inclined.
Helen Back
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Joined: Fri Dec 28, 2012 4:16 pm

Re: Moving Between Schools in Shanghai

Post by Helen Back »

Just so you know, I'm not breaking a contract. I fully intend to finish my two years before possibly moving on. I'd like to move to a better school, preferably without moving home. We're trying to keep the costs down and we like where we live.
PsyGuy
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Location: Northern Europe

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Post by PsyGuy »

@Helen Back

You need to get hired at a recruiting fair then, thats the generally accepted exception to the local hire rule. Otherwise your going to lose more compensation on a local hire contract then you would if you returned home and were recruited as an OSH, especially if your IS owes you return airfare. The other options are to move out of Shanghai for a province where you are an OSH or negotiate with your new IS to classify you an OSH, but thats a hard sell when you are by definition local in a cosmopolitan city like Shanghai.
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