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A question about the system and backup plans:

What if I land a one year teaching contract from here in the US, get a sponsored visa and after a 2-3 mos. in China, discover I'm in a hellhole and want to bail. Is it possible to find another job, maybe in another city, maybe in another field, while I'm still employed and get a new work visa from my new employer? Or am I going to have to leave the country as soon as the current school cancels my visa? Am I allowed to search for another job while in the country?

Curious about how this scenario would play out in Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan?

A one year contract is fine - I just want to be informed. Insight, links appreciated!

In China your old employer needs to "release" you from the contract before you can be employed by another business. If they have sponsored your "Z" visa and residence permit, you'll find they will hold you to the contract and any penalty clauses within it. You can just go to the airport and fly away anytime you want, but you won't get back into China for 2 years.They might also want to hold your passport - so be very careful as they'll come up with all sorts of reasons for not giving it back - being processed etc. So, ask specific Q's about the school/university you plan to work with and get specific answers from people already teaching there. Ask the recruitment person if you can email current teachers etc. If they ignore your request or come up with excuses, avoid them. Also beware of some of the teachers who do reply as they might be waiting for the likes of you to come to relieve them from their commitments as happened to my wife and myself once in a school in Quingdao. The guy we relieved disappeared the next morning leaving an apologetic note!

Mate, I have been on the other line of this... I was offered a great position in Japan. I was told to get my holiday working visa (a one time thing) and get ready. One day after I had the visa in hand I was told the position was no longer available. There I was with a visa, no job, and only had 15 days to find one. This was a one shot deal, and the company "screwed" me.

If you are not sure you want to work long term (or to complete the contract) for a company you have an offer for, don't go. Not till you have all the facts, not till you are 110% sure you will fallow through with the contract. Research the school, the city it is in, ask other teachers there how it is, ext...

I have seen how bad things can get when someone backs out of a deal, and to think of a school who lost a teacher with little to no notice... I can imagine it would hurt them greatly.

Robert, I have had a friend who had their passport held from them... I wont go in to the problems it caused, but I will say what they told me. Pass it ONLY to the embassy, and officials. Under no circumstances pass it to the school (there is NO need for the school to hold a passport) a copy is more than sufficient.