Moving to Qingdao can be a daunting task so we have created a relocation - housing guide for all you expats out there. We hope you will find it useful. And as usual, feedback is always appreciated on what we're doing right, and what you would like to see in the future.  For more information on relocation services (Qingdao Real Estate and Chinese Visas) contact: This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it  

Education:
That's Qingdao knows the importance of Chinese in the business world. We're talking about a language which is spoken by approximate one-fourth of the world's population--1.3 billion people! That's a hefty chunk. And though, maybe to a lot of outsiders, China doesn't seem like a very big deal right now--they're only thinking present tense. What about the future? China is a country with an economy of $420 USD GDP that is growing at 10% annually! So why not learn Chinese? --and what better place to learn Chinese than in China itself?

If you're going to bring your children in China or just for a year or two, you might want to consider international schools. There are many things to consider though. One huge advantage is that many students of international schools end up bi-lingual if not multi-lingual. This is something that can help take them very far in life.  Qingdao International Schools: Qingdao MTI International School, Qingdao International School, and BaiShan School.

Housing:
Finding the right place to live in Qingdao is not that easy, especially if you are seeking a fully furnished villa, duplex, or apartment that meets western standards. Of course there are many furnished apartments, but in most cases the style and taste of the furnishings are less than desirable compared to western standards. If you intend on staying in Qingdao for more than a year, we would strongly suggest renting an unfurnished flat. Buying furniture here is very affordable and easy to do at places like ‘HaiBo' furniture mall. However, if you want to buy really cheap furnishings, the old furniture market (JuGuo ShiChang) is your best bet. Appliances can be purchased at Carrefour, Jusco, B&Q, Home World, Illinois Home, OBI, and Enex. We would not recommend buying second hand appliances, unless you are buying it from the original owner. Qingdao Apartment Listings

Work:
To get work in China, you'll need marketable work skills, personal contacts, a very strong command of a Chinese dialect (usually Mandarin), and luck.  This website provides job opportunities in Qingdao. Employers can advertise job openings to recruit international talent. Job-seekers can search for jobs, post résumés, and learn the best ways to get on track for a successful job. Qingdao Classifieds

VISA:
There are strict procedures for foreigners who wish to obtain visas to live and work in China. The most important visa classes for foreign workers are the Business/Official Visit Visa (F), the Employment/Work Visa (Z), and the Resident permit. There are other classes of visas for airline pilots, mariners, diplomats, tourists, family visits, students, and journalists.

Business and work permits must be obtained prior to entry into China, and numerous documents are required for a work visa (Z) application. If a foreigner works without the proper employment permit, public security officials are authorized to terminate the employment and impose a fine on the worker. In serious cases, the public security officials will force the expatriate to leave the country.

Keep in mind that the Chinese government does not recognize dual nationality and that visa requirements for Hong Kong are different than those for the People's Republic of China. Foreigners staying to work in China longer than one year must submit a notarized health certificate.