Buckland group

Discussion about jobs in Asia inc. Middle East

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VincentMIR
Member
Posts: 11
Joined: 07 Jun 2013, 16:01
Status: Other

Buckland group

Unread post by VincentMIR »

Hello all

I have just been offered a position in China,Sanya (Hainan Island) from Buckland Group.
http://www.bucklandgroup.org

I was wondering if anyone had heard anything bad from them?Sort of a eventual scam debunk as i know there is so many in China.

Cheers.
Vincent


(I was advised to check them out by a user on this forum,but as she had said she didn't know much about them,i do not,by asking this,put her words in judgement AT ALL)
VincentMIR
Member
Posts: 11
Joined: 07 Jun 2013, 16:01
Status: Other

Re: Buckland group

Unread post by VincentMIR »

I'll add a bit more.

As this is the first contract for me,maybe i can get feedbacks on anything fishy or so.
This is the second email from them,after a basic introduction first mail.

So..How does this look to anyone who's ever had a clean contract/job
From what i have heard and read on various forums.
The only thing i find odd so far is that nothing mentions salary (though i mentioned looking for training) or contract length or any types of contacts abroad (on location)

First email said summed up "they're willing to train me and accept me as a teacher"
Feedbacks on this would be great!

"HI, Vincent,
Attached please see the final contract for you. Please read it through and if everything looks ok, please sign it.

To all program fellows without a bachelor degree, please apply F visa to enter China, we will provide the F visa invitation letters in a week.

Please understand that F Visa is issued to a foreign citizen engaged in cultural exchanges, educational exchanges, visits and inspections. (http://www.china-embassy.org/eng/visas/ ... 071018.htm)

Our program is registered with Chinese government as a Culture Exchange program. Through this program, we assign our program fellows to individual schools to help with English education. This is the reason we accept people who don't have a Bachelor degree. So please bear in mind that you are not coming to China for employment, but only for culture exchange purposes, your specific work at our program is giving English lectures and holding English activities. As you are not an employee of Chinese schools, you don’t need a z (work visa) to participate in our program. On the F visa invitation letters, we will specify that you are invited by our institute for a 6 month visit for the purposes of culture exchange. When your first F visa is about to expire, your school will renew it for you to accompany your contract length.


There are 3 major steps in the visa application process, and the entire process will be about 2 weeks:
Fill out the attached work permit application form and email it back to me.
email me your resume in WORD format
email me copy of your passport
email me your passport photo as the attached sample photo format.
With the documents and information you submit from step one, we will process the invitation letter for you;
Go to the Chinese embassy in person or through an agent to apply for an F visa. You must be sure to take the invitation letter when you apply for the visa. We highly recommend that you do this through a visa agent as we had teachers applying on their own, got rejected and finally had to use an agent and successfully got a visa before."



Thanks all and cheers
Vincent
Blink
Member
Posts: 17
Joined: 02 May 2014, 06:08
Status: Teacher Trainer

Re: Buckland group

Unread post by Blink »

Hi Vincent - First don't get too excited nor worried. Just remember that recruiters and schools are only going to disclose what they want and need you to know. You need FULL disclosure from them in this regard the only way to get it is to send them the CFTU "Agent Reply Form Letter" which will help you find out if they are properly licensed and legitimate and also what your real salary is. I suggest you request the form from the CFTU at http://www.ChinaForeignTeacherUnion.org GOOD LUCK TO YOU!
VincentMIR
Member
Posts: 11
Joined: 07 Jun 2013, 16:01
Status: Other

Re: Buckland group

Unread post by VincentMIR »

Hey Blink

Thanks for answering this post.
Today reading your answer i also received this Agent reply form from CTFU since i had contacted them yesterday as well :)

I plan on answering their "insta contract signing" mail with this Agent form and also asking them the contacts information of some staff members on location,also from the foreign teacher they seem to already have there.

Despite we mentioned training,i find it odd they are only mentioning a F visa,with which it makes it illegal to be paid any amounts...

Keeping the work going.
Again if anyone has feedback from Buckland,here is the spot!

Thanks
Have a great day all
Vincent
VincentMIR
Member
Posts: 11
Joined: 07 Jun 2013, 16:01
Status: Other

Re: Buckland group

Unread post by VincentMIR »

Hey Polaris
Thanks for answering my posts
So,after i sent them a mail asking for them to fill the CTFU agent form,to give me the contact of the teacher on location and mentioning the F visa here is exactly what they sent me back.
Indeed,they did not send back a filled form..

"HI, Vincent,
First of all, teaching through Buckland under F visa is legal. Why would we can how can we do anything that's illegal considering we have been in the TESOL field for over 15 years and placed over 1500 foreign teachers? Please carefully read my explanation regarding this again:
Our program is registered with Chinese government as a Culture Exchange program. Through this program, we assign our program fellows to individual schools to help with English education. This is the reason we accept people who don't have a Bachelor degree. So please bear in mind that you are not coming to China for employment, but only for culture exchange purposes, your specific work at our program is giving English lectures and holding English activities. As you are not an employee of Chinese schools, you don’t need a z (work visa) to participate in our program. On the F visa invitation letters, we will specify that you are invited by our institute for a 6 month visit for the purposes of culture exchange.

Some of our schools such as the school in Sanya can host teachers with F visa, this is proved by their local police station. We won't send anything F VISA holder to any city that's not proved by the local police.

Secondly, Buckland is not a new education agency that bears a chance to be a scam or steal your identity. We have been in this field for over 15 years and very well documented with our government. You can see all our teachers' pictures here:
http://www.bucklandgroup.org/sub/teachers.htm

And read their feedback here:
http://www.bucklandgroup.org/sub/feedback.htm

You can also see our certificates here:
http://www.bucklandgroup.org/sub/certificate.htm

Those should be enough info. for you to report if anything happens to you while working through Buckland.

forth, your salary and starting work time are stated in the contract I sent to you. As you don't have teaching experience, the school needs to train you, otherwise how are you going to teach there? For example, If you can arrive on 15th, they might train you for two days, then have you start teaching, then your salary will be calculated starting 18th. "

And the email of foreign teacher on location.
There you go,i am really unsure what to think at this point.Although this is the closest i got to something serious i have trouble wrapping my head around the F visa thingie..
How does that look to you guys?

I have read your links and many others similar,but overall,i cannot possibly fit that "perfect native university degree teacher" stance and i know it,just a guy who really wish to travel and do things right :(

(i have not yet contacted the teacher they have there,probably will tomorrow)

Cheers
Vincent
Blink
Member
Posts: 17
Joined: 02 May 2014, 06:08
Status: Teacher Trainer

Re: Buckland group

Unread post by Blink »

Nathan is right Vincent. This guy is blowing smoke up your butt with stuff you didn't ask for and refusing to give you what you need. If I was you, I would have already lined out his name on my list. Did you see this? http://www.chinaforeignteachersunion.or ... s-esl.html

Lastly his explanation about his "F visa cultural exchange program" is total horsesh*t because although there are cultural exchange programs, they use "M" visas to bring foreigners to China - and not as teachers. "F" visas are business visas that a Joint Venture company would issue to their foreign partners. Mr. Ou Wen is one slick guy friend. The final decision is yours but your situation smells sooo bad yet he still has got your ear - telling you what you want to hear.

Btw... do you know what happens to teachers who get caught working without a Z visa in China Vince? Here you go... http://eslwatch.info/china-2/about-the- ... nswer.html
Volunteer
Rising Star
Posts: 48
Joined: 13 Mar 2014, 07:12
Status: Teacher

Re: Buckland group

Unread post by Volunteer »

Ou Wen is a very experienced con artist working the South China market for many years. All of the teachers who get sucked in by his charm, eventually leave disgusted and without what was promised to them. I am just one of many such victims.

Also beware of what he does with the personal info you give him. If you don't kiss his ass he will try to get you deported for not having a Z visa - even though he is the one who said you didn't need it and brought you to China on an L, F, or M visa!!!!! DO NOT TRUST OWEN!
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