Disclosing the Details from the 2016 Amazing China Election

By Gu Xin Li Yiwen

我的中国故事MY CHINA STORY

By Gu Xin Li Yiwen

2016 Amazing China - The Most Attractive Chinese Cities for Foreigners election were released. 1701 foreign experts participated in a survey along with the election. The survey is mainly about expats’ working and living environment in china . Why they come to china? What factors affect their choice in cities? Are they satisf i ed with their salary? We will disclose the details for you.

Attracted by jobs, deterred by pollution

When asked about the most attractive factor of working in China, the country’s abundant employment opportunities topped the list at 52.7 percent. China’s economic prospects accounted for 45.4 percent, and openness and degree of internationalization (39.1 percent) was selected as the third most attractive factor.

Note: Multiple answers were permitted in this question

What factors attract expats to work in China?More than half (55.3 percent) of respondents said they took environmental protection and pollution into account when choosing a city in China to live and work in. Policies and administrations were also considered, and particular attention was paid to convenient border entry and exit (42.8 percent) as well as easier application for residence permits (41.4 percent).

What factors affect your choice in cities?

Expats call for more opportunities and better working conditions

Expats hoped that more conditions related to work could be enhanced in China. 39.1 percent of respondents hoped China could offer more long-term opportunities, followed by hopes for better working environment and team (36.8 percent) and better pay (36.5 percent). More than a third of participants also called for a better living environment (32.8 percent).

Which policies and services do you wish to be enhanced in China?

Females in schools, males in enterprises

More than half of expats employed in China (50.6 percent) assumed a position in schools, and only 33.3 percent worked for enterprises. There also seemed to be a profound gender difference in employment for expats living in China, whereas females tend to work in schools (62.1 percent) more than men. In such, 46.6 percent were employed by middle and public schools as well as kindergarten, and just under one fi fth (19.9 percent) worked for enterprises. In contrast, males preferred to work for companies over teaching positions.

Note: Multiple answers were permitted in this question

Where men and women expats work in China

Expats from different countries differedin their employment preferences as well. A whopping 71.3 percent of Japanese expats worked for enterprises, where as only 12.6 percent of British expats did so. The results show that 56.3 percent of Britons worked in teaching positions.

Mostly happy, and willing to stay

Roughly 70 percent of expats working in China seemed content with their pay, in which 58.5 percent of respondents for this year’s survey said they earn what they expected to earn. 13.1 percent said they made higher than their expected pay, a 3.2 percent hike compared to only 9.9percent last year. On the contrary, 18.1percent of expats in China felt they were underpaid.

Is your salary up to your expectations?

Many expats expressed willingness to stay in China for the long run. About 36.1% said they hoped to live in China for the long-term, in which 54.7 percent planned to stay one to fi ve years. Those who lived in China for less than one year only accounted for 5.6 percent.

Looking at age distributions, older expats were more willing to stay in China for the long run compared to younger generations, who may wish to travel to different countries to gain more life and work experiences.

How long do you plan to work and live in China?

There was a geographical difference as well. Expats from Southeast Asian countries expressed the strongest willingness to stay in China, where 55.9percent wanted to live and work in China for the long run. Russian expats only wanted short stays in China, and 29.4 percent of them left within just one year.

Self-service more popular among younger expats

The hardships most Chinese go through in obtaining permits for one kind or another is a shared pain for expats working in China.

More than 40 percent of expats said they apply for their permits themselves. Roughly half of respondents apply through their employers, and less than 10 percent do so through agencies.

Females showed a higher tendency to apply for permits themselves (47.3 percent female, 40.8 percent male), and male expats relied more on their employers for applications (45.6 percent female, 54.2 percent male). Younger expats were more likely to hand in their paper work themselves, especially those ages 18 to 29. The older ones were more likely to entrust their employers with applications.

More than half (50.8 percent) of respondents said they encountered problems during the application process, in which unfamiliarity with the institution and procedure of application topped the list (36.8 percent). Unclear rules and unnecessarily complicated procedures followed at 28 percent and 26.1 percent respectively.

The election is co-conducted by China Society for Research on International Professional Personnel Exchange and Development as well as International Talent magazine. Data analysis of the election was provided by Dataway.