Beijing
Big cities like Shanghai, Beijing, and Shenzhen are packed with teaching jobs, and you’ll be able to command a high salary. If you’re looking for a fast-paced environment, a large expat community and a wealth of jobs and opportunities, a big city might be for you.

The Best 10 Cities to Work as an ESL Teacher in China

1. Beijing. The exciting capital of China – Beijing, is among the top four first-tier cities in China for foreign ESL teachers.
2. Shanghai.
3. Guangzhou.
4. Shenzhen.
5. Chengdu.
6. Wuhan.
7. Nanjing.
8. Xi’an.

1. Your salary teaching in China depends on where you’re teaching.

5 Best Cities to Live in China

• Shanghai. As one of the tier 1 cities, Shanghai is widely known abroad as a popular tourist destination and China’s top business center.
• Hangzhou. One of the “new tier 1 cities”, Hangzhou is among the more peaceful places to live in China.
• Beijing.
• Shenzhen.
• Chengdu.

It can also be a scary proposition for anyone who’s planning a teaching stint abroad for the very first time. So is China safe? Well, the short answer is ‘YES, absolutely’. Although the long answer is ‘as long as you do it right, China is one of the safest teaching destinations out there.

You are not legally allowed to teach English as a full-time teacher in China without a bachelor’s degree. What documents do I need to teach in China? The only visa you are legally allowed to work under in China is the Z visa.

Home to 52 Fortune 500 companies, and 98 of China’s largest corporations, Beijing is where most expats tend to live and work. Not only is Beijing China’s capital city its also the diplomatic, cultural and political hub for the whole country.

Yes, many expats, especially women, find living in China is much safer than in cities like London or New York. Street harassment and catcalling is virtually unheard of for foreigners, and streets tend to be well lit at night. Petty crime rates, particularly for foreigners, seem to be particularly low.

Shanghai
Shanghai — 23.4 million people Shanghai is the undisputed most populous and wealthiest city in China..

Hong Kong has become the cleanest city in China, with a total score of 89.3. Macao and Xiamen of Fujian Province rank the second and third respectively.

Apart from Shanghai and Beijing, the highest concentration of teaching opportunities for native English speakers are found in Guangzhou, so there’s a wide variety of positions for those with all levels of teaching experience. In fact, there are over 20 teaching opportunities offered in the city through Go Overseas.

For teachers looking to teach at an international school in China, qualified candidates should hold a Bachelor’s degree, a teaching license issued by the applicant’s home country and at least two years of full-time teaching experience.

The Chinese spoken in Beijing is also the standard for Mandarin Chinese, making it an ideal location to learn Chinese. Some schools in the area even offer Chinese classes as part of your teacher package, make sure to ask for that.

Typically, the minimum requirements to land a job in a private language school in China generally include a Bachelor’s degree and a TEFL certificate. One exception is the Explore Program, which does not require applicants to have a TEFL certificate, since TEFL training is provided to successful candidates.