Xiamen is one of the most beautiful coastal cities in southern China and has a lot to offer to expats: from its long sandy beaches to promising career opportunities. Located in China's Fujian Province, the city has a well-developed prosperous economy, a pleasant climate, and agreeable living conditions. Professional opportunities exist in a variety of fields, from trade, finance, and technology to tourism and education, and finding a job in Xiamen should not be a problem.
The best way to start looking for work in Xiamen is first to do some research into which industries and companies are most likely to hire foreign professionals.
Important:
Since the COVID-pandemic, traveling to China and obtaining the needed visa and work permit has become substantially more complicated. Keep in mind that even if you secure a job offer in Xiamen, you may need to wait until the situation changes before traveling to the country.
Xiamen economy
Xiamen's economy is based on various sectors such as trade, industry, food, textile, chemical industry, fishing, shipbuilding, etc. Financial services, as well as information technology and communication, also contribute to its Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Xiamen's commercial development is owed in part to the city's proximity to Taiwan and, in part, to it being an important hub of the Maritime Silk Road. Xiamen is the world's 17th busiest container port exporting to 36 Maritime Silk Road countries and furthering China's trade with countries in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Europe and Africa. The FTZ (Fujian Free Trade Zone) is the center of the city's commercial activity, uniting its overland and maritime trade routes. Twenty of the world's largest shipping companies run their operations in the city.
Xiamen's commercial activity attracts a lot of foreign investment, which, in turn, has led to the region's financial and technological development. There are hundreds of financial institutions, including the Xiamen International Bank and many other international banks. The city also hosts many industries involved in biotechnology, medical, pharmaceutical, chemical, electronic and electrical activities. Research, logistics, distribution and telecommunications play an essential role in its economy. The city also has a high-tech industrial zone known as the Torch Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone.
The job market in Xiamen
Xiamen is a beautiful coastal city close to Taiwan. With that, the cost of living here is lower compared to other coastal cities such as Shenzhen. This makes Xiamen quite popular with expats, and the competition for expat positions, especially English teaching, can be quite high. If you want to work as an English teacher in China, you will find opportunities in public schools, universities, private training centers, corporate education consultancies, and more.
Like most other cities in China, there are also opportunities in fields such as high-tech, industrial design, app development, IT, and more. There are a number of international companies in Xiamen, including Honeywell, Siemens, Kodak, etc. Plus, local companies based in Xiamen also hire foreign professionals for a variety of tech projects.
As Xiamen is a popular tourist destination, you may also find opportunities in hospitality. This includes positions like hotel manager, customer relations manager, and so on.
With a lot of companies working for export, you may also find work in sales, marketing, social media management, customer service, and more.
How to find a job in Xiamen?
If you are job hunting from outside Xiamen, the best way to start your job search is online. Check out job offers on Echinacities, HiredChina, ChinaTeachingJobs, JobsDB, etc.
Another useful tool in remote job hunting is professional social media. Make sure your Linkedin account is fully updated and indicates that you are open to new opportunities. It is also a good idea to change your Linkedin location to Xiamen so that your profile is more visible to employers and headhunters in the city. You can also run a LinkedIn search for job opportunities in Xiamen — you will find quite a few.
If you are an experienced professional, your job search will be more efficient if you go through a hiring agency. You will find a lot of Jinan recruiters and hiring agencies on Linkedin.
Yet another way to go about your job search is to contact potential employers directly. You can look up companies in your field with offices in the city and check their websites for potential employment opportunities. You can also reach out to their HR departments and inquire if there are any openings in the department you want to work in.
You can also check with employers in your home country. Some foreign companies may have branch offices or manufacturing facilities in Xiamen. Finding a job in your home country first and then exploring relocation options may be one of the best ways to have job security in China.
The best thing about being relocated from a company back home is that international companies typically provide their employees with generous relocation packages that include perks such as moving costs, accommodation, living expenses, education for children, tickets to fly back home for holidays, and more.
Before you set out on your job search in China, make sure to download the WeChat app. It's the number one app in China with over 900 million users and is used for most online communication in the country. WeChat is primarily a messenger app — but you can also use it for work calls, sharing documents, holding online meetings, setting up work group chats, and more. WeChat is also a social media, shopping and contactless payment tool.
If you want to search for work in Tianjin when you are already in the country, you can still do all of the above. However, that to work in China legally, you will need to apply for a work permit and residence — and the only way to do that is from outside of China. So, if you secure a job offer, you will need to travel back home and apply for a work visa before you can start your employment.
Important:
Currently, you can only travel to China if you have a valid residence permit. You will also need to undergo a quarantine on your arrival. Make sure to check the latest entry requirements to the country before making any travel plans.
How to apply for a job in Xiamen?
To apply for a job in Xiamen, you will need a resume and cover letter. For most positions, you should be fine sending in your application in English. However, if the job you are applying for requires you to speak Chinese, attaching copies of your resume and cover letter in Chinese can be very helpful. In general, knowledge of Chinese can substantially increase your chances of getting a better job.
The next step in the application process will be a message or call from the hiring manager or your future employer. As we've mentioned above, make sure you download the WeChat app, as a lot of communication in China — including work communication — happens on the app. In fact, it's a good idea to add your WeChat ID to your application so that your potential employer can get in touch with you quickly.
If the employer is interested in your application, you will next go through a round of interviews. Note that if you are applying for work in a large company, you may need to interview with several department heads at different levels. If you are applying for work in a smaller firm, one or two interviews will probably be enough.
How to apply for a work visa to China?
The only way to work in China legally is to apply for a work visa. In order to do so, you will need to go through the following steps:
- Applying for a work permit
- Obtaining a PU letter (optional for applicants from some countries)
- Applying for the work visa itself.
Note that all work visas in China are classified into three categories:
- Class A (high-level talent),
- Class B (professional personnel)
- and Class C (non-technical and service workers hired for seasonal/temporary projects).
The eligibility requirements for each visa class may differ.
The first thing you will need to do is get a job offer. This is essential for applying for a work visa to China. You also need to make sure your employer can sponsor your visa, as there are special requirements for companies in China that want to employ foreigners.
Once you have secured a work contract, you will need to ask your employer to send you an official invitation (work permit notice). You may also need to obtain a PU letter, an invitation that is issued by the China Foreign Affairs Office. Currently, applicants from the United States, Austria, Croatia, Czech, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia and South Korea do not require a PU letter. However, as these requirements change frequently, make sure to check whether you need a PU letter prior to your application.
Once you've collected the above documents, you can apply for the work visa itself. You can submit your application at your nearest embassy or consulate in China. Note that you will need to make an appointment first.
If your application is approved and you receive your work visa, make sure to check if all the information on your visa is correct, such as your name's spelling, type of visa, entry date, length of stay, etc.
When you have received your work visa, you can travel to China. However, you can only stay in the country for a short time on the visa you've received. This is why you will need to apply for a residence permit (based on your work visa) as soon as you arrive in China.
Important:
Obtaining a work permit is the only way to work in China legally. With that, you may find job offers (especially in English teaching) that won't provide you with the needed documents. While quite a few expats do engage in such employment offers, the consequences for working illegally in China are severe. You risk facing heavy fines and deportation. You may even be banned from visiting China in the future.
Wages in Xiamen
If you work as an English teacher in China, you will be making from RMB 15,000 ($2,200) to 25,000 ($3,700), sometimes more —depending on your position, the number of classes you teach, the training center you work for, etc. You will also have options to make additional income by taking up part-time teaching gigs and tutoring.
If you work in the tech industry, your salary and benefits package depend on your position, seniority level, and the company you work for. Salaries range from RMB 20,000 ($3,000) to 35,000 ($5,000), sometimes higher.
If you work in sales or marketing, how much you earn will depend on your base salary and commissions.This can range from RMB 8,000 ($1,100) to 25,000 ($3,700).
Cost of living in Xiamen
Your biggest expense when living in Xiamen will most likely be rent. Fortunately, the price of rent in Xiamen is lower than in other southern cities like Shenzhen or Guangzhou. You will be able to rent an apartment close to the city center from RMB 3,000 to 5,000. Your cost of living in Xiamen as a single person can range from RMB 6,000 to 10,000 — depending on your lifestyle.
What are the perks of living in Xiamen?
You will like living in Xiamen if you want to live in a laid-back coastal town with a developed infrastructure and an active expat community. Xiamen is a popular tourist destination and gets particularly busy in summer. The city is home to several beautiful beaches, some of which are known for water sports like kitesurfing. It's close to Taiwan and just a short flight to other destinations in Asia like Thailand and Indonesia.
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