Updated July 6, 2020
Last week I had a very noisy argument with my boss. I even told him that I was not going to come to work from the NEXT day. And then I left the office…
I received multiple calls/messages on my WeChat and phone. I knew they were trying to contact me. However, I didn’t respond to any of those calls and messages.
Finally, the next morning, one of my colleagues knocked my door. He was a messenger of my boss. I was requested to return to the negotiation table.
What’s My One Regret About Working In China?
A short report.
Well, I have been working in China for nearly 3 years. It was fun to explore the mainland. I received lots of love from the Chinese people. I also managed to learn ‘some’ Mandarin Chinese and enjoyed exciting dating adventures (free Sign Up: China Love Cupid). Life has been generally great (a bit chaotic situation during COVID-19 was expected, however, China managed COVID-19 it quite well).
- Online Dating Apps in China
- How To Identify A Chinese Gold Digger?
- 5 Questions Chinese Women Will Ask Every Man
However, there was something that bothered me all the time during my China stay. Let me tell you: My One Regret About Working in China.
I have been underpaid all the time.
I never received a full salary (as of my June 2020 salary). That’s something I truly regret about working in China.
Basically, after I came to China, my contract was unilaterally modified by my employer. I was told that, after about 1.5 half years working in China, I would have to go through an evaluation. If I passed the evaluation, I’d be given all the held back money. In short, they deducted RMB 3000/month from my salary. As of June, over RMB 100,000 is withheld. I have no clue when will I receive this hard earned money! 🙁
WTF
Am I a student?
I had signed a job contract before coming to China. The contract was signed by three entities: me, my boss and my employer. As such, there was NO such money-withholding clause in the job contract.
Had I known such issue before moving to China, I’d never sign such a contract. I’d never join my current job.
Of course, I realized this change of contract as soon as I got my first salary (it took 2.5 months to get my first salary — too much bureaucracy and paper works).
You might wonder why I didn’t leave the job if I knew it after receiving my first salary (I had more job offers, in China).
- How To Take Money Out of China?
- Cheapest & Easiest Ways To Bring Money To China
- TransferWise International Money Transfer
It’s a long story, and I would write more about it in the coming blog updates.
To cut the long story short, when I came to China, my situation, in many ways, was comparable to a toddler. I didn’t know the language. I didn’t know how to order food. I didn’t know how to book a flight.
Back then, my financial condition was not all that great to just leave the job and spend a few months without a job (or waste time switching the job). I didn’t even have a laptop. I fucking needed money!
I didn’t know how to find another job while still being in China.
I didn’t know how to change the visa. In case you are new to the requirements about working in China, let me share few information: Foreigners need to get a working visa before coming to China (officially known as Z visa). Application for a Z visa is a very time consuming process and you must get it in your country of long-term residence. The Z visa application requires you to verify/authenticate your academic certificates (with the Chinese embassy in your country), get a police certificate for no criminal records (and verify with embassy). Further, after you come to China on a Z visa, you have to apply for a Residence Permit, the new visa (the long term multiple entry visa).
It was next to impossible for me handle all these issues when I was new to China. In fact, after living in China for a few years, I still can’t myself apply for a visa renewal/extension (because of the language problems).
In any case, the contract that I signed before coming to China, was never respected. The contract was modified without informing me. Even my boss didn’t know about the money withholding clause until I told him.
As of July 2020, I’m still struggling to get the withheld money back as the midterm assessment is yet to happen.
I am trying to convince my boss about it. However, he has listed new requirements for me to finish the work (kind of blackmail).
Have you been in such situations?
Frankly, if you sign a new work contract, you should try to clarify the same with your colleagues/boss (better to do so before moving to China).
I wish to see new changes in Chinese law that’d protect foreign employees in China. Hopefully, no one would regret about working in China.
