Working in China, explained properly

The things worth knowing before you accept an offer: how the work visa really works, what jobs pay, and what a contract can and cannot say. Checked against official sources and updated as the rules change.

• The Z visa, step by step

  Work permit notice, visa application, residence permit — what each stage needs, the deadlines after you land, and what happens when you change jobs.

• What jobs in China pay

  Pay ranges from the listings on this site, by profession and by city — refreshed as new roles are posted.

• Reading a Chinese employment contract

  Probation limits, gross versus net pay, tax-free allowances, leave, severance — and the penalty clauses that are not enforceable.