Yes, we will arrange to have you met at the airport by one of our Career China hosts. They will transport you to your accommodation and give you some basic information along the way.
Yes, you may bring as much luggage as you wish; however, keep in mind that many airlines have limits on luggage and they may charge you extra fees. Career China does not pay for baggage overage fees. That being said, if you plan to bring more than 1 suitcase please let your On-Boarding Specialist know so that we can make arrangements for appropriate transportation that will accommodate the extra luggage.
You should budget enough money for several months of food and other living costs when you arrive in China (to get you through until you receive your first pay check). We recommend that you bring the equivalent of roughly $3000 USD with you in cash (or accessible via the ATM) when you come to China. This will help you get on your feet, and give you cash to help get your apartment rental.
It depends. Most international cell phone carriers have international plans, but they are expensive you will want to have a local number while living in China. Chinese SIM cards are widely available and inexpensive. Our team can assist you with getting a Chinese SIM card for your phone. ** However, SIM cards will ONLY work on UNLOCKED cell phones! Those that are locked by carriers (such as contract phones in the USA) cannot use a SIM card from another country. Another solution is to buy an inexpensive Chinese cell phone for your stay. Again, we can assist you in this process and provide recommendations for you based on your situation.
Public transportation is cheap, and readily available in China. The local bus is around 2 RMB for a ride, and the subway / metro starts around 2 RMB for a short distance – and can go up from there depending on how far you are traveling. Taxis are a bit more expensive. For more information, please refer to our Cost of Living in China blog post.
Daily living expenses in China are typically cheaper than other developed Western countries. Eating street food and local restaurants is quite cheap, as is transportation. Of course, there are other foreign restaurants available in big cities, such as McDonald’s, where a hamburger may cost around 12 RMB. There are also luxuries too, such as nice restaurants or Starbucks – where a latte may cost around 24 RMB. For more information, please refer to our detailed blog post about the Cost of Living in China.
Yes! In fact, you will need to do this for your salary from your job. Our team can assist you with setting up a bank account, but it’s quite easy to do. Primarily, you just need your passport and some cash to deposit. You typically don’t even need an address, and they will give you your bank ATM card right away. There may be a preferred bank for your company, which will help with setting up your direct deposit for your salary payments, so be sure to check before setting one up. The hardest part is the translation, but most big banks in city centers will have a customer service staff member who can speak some English. But again, our team can assist you as well. For more information, please refer to our Money in China blog post.