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Post by burlives on May 11, 2004 19:07:05 GMT 7
Release letters seem to be becoming important. My next to be FAO has made it clear a few times that I'll need one when I move on to that next job. Since in practice I've never had to arrange such a thing before, I'm wondering what they look like.
As I understand it, a release letter is a, well, letter written by the soon to be ex-FAO, addressed to Whom It May Concern and stamped by the PSB of one's soon to be ex-town, stating in some appropriate form that all relevant things to do with the fellow bearing this letter were above board to the knowledge of his ex-FAO. Signed: his ex-FAO. Stamped: PSB.
So what is the appropriate form of such a letter? Maybe so that my current FAO doesn't get confused and refuse, maybe I'd like to be able to tell her.
And just to make things interesting: since my current contract will still have about six months left on it, I'll have as well to set about asking my current FAO for an amicable separation. (The school isn't bad, it's just that I've got other places to be. The relationships here are good so I'm fairly sure the admin will cooperate, probably. Maybe. I have hopes, anyway.)
I actually have once had the experience of trying to get a letter of some kind out of the PSB in Changsha. It was going to be a suitable document that would allow an FAO in another province to extend my residence permit. The Changsha PeeBS wanted to see all the documentation one would normally need for a new residence permit first. Needless to say, everything went to poo and I went to Hong Kong. This time I want to get it right.
So, anyone know anything?
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Post by Nate M on May 11, 2004 19:12:55 GMT 7
I don't really know of an appropriate answer to give you. All I can say is that this sounds kinda scary. It seems to me that this places way too much power in the hands of the school administration. It's tantamount to requiring schools to get permission letters from all it's teachers in order to be able to stay in business. Neither situation would be a fair one. Good luck to you.
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Post by Raoul Duke on May 11, 2004 22:03:36 GMT 7
Burl,
the release letter is nice if you can get it, but it's not the end of the world if you don't.
The release letter is required in order for a new employer to get you a Residence Permit based on your existing Z visa. Get it if you can.
However, don't let them screw you around over it. You can always skip over the border into Hong Kong, which renders your old Z null and void, pick up a cheap tourist visa, and then re-enter China with a clean slate so your new employer can upgrade you to a new Z visa. You'll be forced to endure the comforts, luxuries, and enthrallments of Hong Kong for a day or two, but I'm sure you're a big enough man to handle the job. Don't take any guff from the m'kaying swine.
By the way, my last (and only) release letter wasn't a letter at all...it was just a little red stamp on my Residence Permit. My outgoing employer had to make a trip to the PSB and get it so I could move on with the same visa.
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Lager
SuperBarfly! 
Posts: 1,081
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Post by Lager on May 11, 2004 22:21:54 GMT 7
LA (his username on Daves) did a midnite run from here to Shanghai. School knew he was down there somewhere and phoned every PSB in the area. He was red-flagged big time. In the PSB (for a flat--not a work visa) his name came up on the computer..They said he had 2 options..Back to Shandong for a release letter or go the heck home. He chose the latter..Apparently he would have had to even go to Beijing to get the leteer stamped....
So the point I guess is whether or not the school pursues you...They might not . But if they want to they can go after you even in a different prov...Perhaps a HK trip would solve all this ---not sure...But yeh staying legal is not a bad plan.
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Post by Raoul Duke on May 11, 2004 22:41:02 GMT 7
It sounds like this school is more vindictive than most...this is the first case I've ever heard of a school actually doing this. I also think that you won't have the problems Ammonia had...you were fired, but he was a runner. He was in violation of a contract (Horrors!  ) and you are not. There may also be a question of how good the school owner's contacts are, and where they are located...my suspicion is that in many cases the PSB's response would be "So what?". Meanwhile, everyone please get out your AAA map and place a big red 'X' on Shandong Province's South Ocean School... |
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Post by Steiner on May 11, 2004 23:19:00 GMT 7
Thread Integrity Destruction to follow:
Changsha (I know you're not there now, but you mentioned it which gives my hijack a jumping-off point) is apparently known for the corruption of its officials. In Kunming I met a guy who had previously been an official in the Hunan provincial government. His job was something like the official artist? He does great calligraphy and stuff like that, and apparently there is such a position. Anyway, he's a man of integrity and that's what got him into trouble.
Something corrupt (I never found out exactly what) was going on in his department and he had mentioned to a superior that he disapproved. His superiors then brought him up to face a trumped-up charge (again, not sure exactly what) and had him sent to prison in order to save their own asses. He was there four years. When he got out, he moved to Kunming. His wife told me the story, and I believe it. They now have an art shop in Kunming, where there isn't anything like the corruption we have here in Hunan, according to these two.
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Post by burlives on May 12, 2004 1:19:34 GMT 7
Changsha (I know you're not there now, but you mentioned it which gives my hijack a jumping-off point) is apparently known for the corruption of its officials. It's known for the corruption of its schools too. Two outstanding foreign teacher flameouts where I worked took place just a year before naive little me walked in there, all unknowing. As far as the school's foreign office and some of the other teachers were concerned, these two were just bad teachers, never came to class, wouldn't even teach, and then had the nerve to call in lawyers. The other side is, these two got mightily pissed off about something and organised a Hunan-wide foreign teacher meeting. The school found out, somehow got a participants list, and started calling other foreign offices. I don't know which side is true. But I met the people who run that school and they are mean m'kayers, genuine thugs, slick and proud. Ladies and gentlemen, you can't go to Changsha Communications University. They pay well and offer really nice facilities (and they will string you up by the nuts if they have to) but it changed it's name when it merged with another school. |
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Post by burlives on May 12, 2004 1:36:25 GMT 7
Two extra concerns:
People seem to be talking more about release letters these days. The one time I did officially transfer from one school to another, they organised it between themselves. But these days, I have the impression things are getting more formal. Anyone else getting that wind?
Maybe more personally pressing: I'll be leaving a contract half-finished. I believe I can engineer a clean break-up and we can still be friends but I'd really like to go over this ground in my head before it plays out in real life. Anyone got any details of what's what when pulling out too soon?
(My contribution to the clean break-up is to teach well, not get into trouble, and to make sure there's some extra teacher applicants for next term. That this is a good school is what is letting me think it is possible to do the right thing both by the school and with release letters. Somebody call Nobel.)
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Post by Noodles on May 13, 2004 11:40:11 GMT 7
A little note on the going to HongKong option. When i finished my last contract, my visa had a few weeks left to run. I wasn't going to a new school, i'm freelancing at the moment picking up work where i can. I went to HongKong to get a new visa and was told i still needed a release letter from my old school, this was to obtain a F visa. The agency sorting this said it was a new rule, luckily this wasn't too much of a problem as left my old school on very good terms. So i just rushed back to my school, got my old boss to type up a letter saying i had finished my contract putting his all powerful red stamp on it.
The point is, make a call to HongKong first before legging it across the border. Netter to be safe than sorry, especially if you to travel some distance to get there.
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Post by burlives on May 13, 2004 19:21:41 GMT 7
Well poo. Which agent?
Why would a Z to an F require a release letter?
I cannot imagine it would make a difference on a HK-acquired tourist visa.
Is it a nationality thing? (Wizards of Oz have a different time in HK, don't we?)
And I still don't want to go to HK again. It's nice but a waste of time and I still have some hopes of seeing a good result that follows relevant laws here in ye newlde PRC. All the good karma would go a long way to, I dunno, world peace?
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Post by Raoul Duke on May 13, 2004 21:13:47 GMT 7
I wonder if a Tourist visa would also have this same restriction?
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Post by Noodles on May 14, 2004 11:51:51 GMT 7
I also wondered if it was just because i wanted a F visa, also another factor might have been that my Z visa was multiple entry, so it hadn't actualy expired, although it only had a week or so left. Both of these things may have come into the equation.
The agency was China Travel Service, which i have heard nothing but good things about and they were actualy very helpful to me.
Nationality wise, i'm English, so we have a pretty easy time in HK. I can't see why it would be the same for a tourist visa though, but i didnt ask. sorry.
Good luck on getting all sorted in the prc, obviously a much simpler option.
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) and you are not.
