@inmortus Most of us are in the same boat as you. For me, plan B is having everything ready (resume, references, certifications, etc.) and applying for a job in my home country (US) if my current job falls through. Schools in the US might not even open and there are likely to have hiring freezes. Because of this I'm expanding my search to jobs outside of education.

@shopaholic - you're the low person on the totem pole for the school. They will keep stringing you along until it becomes clear that you won't be able to get a visa. Then, the school will drop you without hesitation. If I were you, I would have a back up plan ready to go.

I wouldn't be surprised if things get better over the summer, borders open, then a second wave hits in the fall and the lockdowns start back up. Covid19 will likely severely disrupt international teaching for the next year or two.

@blackspec the new version of school in China truly sounds like hell. I wonder how long schools there will be required to keep these current restrictions in place. That's not how I want to teach and that's not how I would want my children to learn.

Borders are unlikely to open anytime soon with current case numbers. In addition, many school districts in the US are facing budget cuts and hiring freezes. The tricky part is choosing between waiting it out or going for plan B.

I heard it from several teachers who are in China now who heard it from someone they know that has ties with an immigration official.

The new rumor going around is that China will not issue new Z visas until December 2021.

There is also the issue of getting a Z visa. The process usually takes at least a few months. China is not currently processing visas for those who are out of the country. This will likely cause a lot of delays.

I heard from a person who works for one of the Chinese airlines that they were told by an official from the Chinese government that China is planning on reopening to foreigners in March 2021.

I'm just looking for other people's thoughts on the current situation. I want to know if they'd consider coming back with how things are now.

There are many recent videos online of black people, and to a lesser extent all foreigners, being denied entry to a variety of businesses and services in China.

What if your child needs medical assistance and they're refused entry to the hospital based on the color of their skin? What if your landlord decides to throw you out?

Those are risks I can't take.

With all the recent reports of racism and xenophobia in China is anyone thinking about not returning to their post there?

People of African decent are being discriminated against the most, but others have faced discrimination as well. A pregnant woman who was having pains was rejected by 5 hospitals due to the color of her skin. McDonald's had a sign that said "No blacks allowed", people are being evicted from their homes.

On a personal note, the gym I went to is now banning all foreigners. Unless things change, I have serious doubts about returning.