What attracts foreign specialists to Shanghai?

The Chinese megacity of Shanghai has always been considered a cosmopolitan place, for a century and a half the rejected and seekers of adventurous earnings from all over the world gathered. The city enjoys dubious criminal glory and is famous for its slums, which gave the name to all densely populated working people barracks in many parts of the earth. Now this stereotyped image can be considered obsolete. Here come labor migrants, and, as a rule, highly qualified, from countries considered very prosperous. What are workers in the United States, Russia, France, Britain looking for here, or, as they are called, expats?

General atmosphere

When someone is looking for a job for a long time and gets a job as a proposition in Shanghai, it often causes a reaction in his family that is not quite happy. In the imagination there is the same picture of a human anthill, heat, noise, disorder and slums. People, especially Westerners, are uninformed, and live in their established world, in which everything is clear: Russia is Siberia, which is always cold, even in July, in Rio there is always a carnival, Australia is flooded with kangaroos and koalas, and China ... Well, He is China. Arriving in Shanghai, foreigners usually almost immediately fall in love with this city, in the most extreme case it takes a week. Some moments correspond to stereotypes, here is really very hot and humid climate, and you can not dream of a night coolness, the stuffiness is round-the-clock. But it's on the street, in the rooms everywhere air-conditioners. There are indeed a lot of people, including pristavuchy traders, entering into a rage at the sight of a person of European appearance. But all these unpleasant trifles fade in comparison with the special spirit of cosmopolitanism, freedom, friendliness and some special Shanghai chic.

Expats in Shanghai

Last year's seven percent decrease in the rate of economic growth affected the number of foreign workers invited. Shanghai took them 2% less than in 2014 (there were 255 thousand of them here). Work in this global business center and the largest city of China is plentiful, including leadership positions. There is a need for consultants, teachers, people of other specialties and even cooks. Attractiveness for expats is not only in a fairly high pay, but also in career prospects, which they sometimes can only dream of at home. Specialists from most countries consider their stay in Shanghai very comfortable, and the conditions created by them are very acceptable. On average, a foreign specialist earns $ 158,000 per year, which is one and a half times higher than the income of a similar specialist, according to a survey conducted by HSBC Bank (2015). In some cases, even payment for polluted air is provided, although here it is no worse than in the world's largest capitals. True, the cost of living in Shanghai is also relatively high.

Food

It is not accepted to prepare houses here, almost nobody does it. There are a lot of ready-to-eat products on sale, which can only be heated, and the cafe network is extremely developed. For a foreigner, it is somewhat difficult that the menu is basically written in hieroglyphics, and the staff does not always know even the most basic knowledge in English, but this is completely compensated by the presence of pictures, and figures are clear to everyone (prices are indicated in RMB). In addition, there are restaurants designed for foreigners, including well-known "promoted" brands of European and American catering. Here food costs more, but there are enough visitors, including Chinese, for which all this is exotic. Lunch at a local institution will cost three or four dollars, and in special places, loved by the elite and "pale-faced friends," is ten times more expensive. However, both can afford a highly paid specialist.

Accomodation

Prices for rental property are seriously dependent on the location of the property. On average, the price per square meter is $ 29, but expats often overpay for their proximity to the workplace. Migrants-"long-livers" note the increase in the cost of rent for the last few years, relatively recently a two-room apartment (living room and bedroom) in the city center could be rented for three thousand yuan (about $ 450) a month, now it will cost twice as much. For example, in the former French concession (it is a central and very cozy part of the city where the atmosphere of old Shanghai has been preserved, though it does not have any inconveniences), the studio will have to pay at least $ 1200. It's expensive, two-thirds of the salary of a young specialist. A house for the whole family can cost $ 3,500 per month.

Transport

In Shanghai, a modern subway is built, a one-time trip costs several yuan depending on the distance. To use this public transport for a foreigner is difficult for the first time, tickets are sold by terminals, on the screens of which all texts are written with hieroglyphs, but then visual memory begins to work, everything comes back to normal, especially since station personnel are very friendly and ready to help. In addition, the taxi service is well organized, the rates are quite affordable, drivers sitting behind transparent fences do not take a tip and issue a check. The metro connects the high-speed express Malav with the airport, and other trains with the nearest cities, which also pleasantly surprise with comfort and speed.

How to be with children

An employee who decided to go to Shanghai often takes his family with him. In the city there is a system of school education in different languages, it is paid, but quite high-quality. The cost of teaching a child starts from $ 1500 per month, it depends on the age and level of teaching. This may seem like a large sum, but one should also take into account the fact that Germans, Britons, Australians, Singaporeans and Russians come to Shanghai to earn money, and most often they get it. By the way, in some cases, the invoicing fee for the training of children is assumed by the employers' firms. The same applies to renting a home. A quarter of labor migrants making up the highest paid and qualified share receive an income from their activities of more than $ 300 thousand per year

The main thing is work

Who is required in Shanghai? First of all, they are highly qualified top-level managers, specialists in banking, engineers, programmers, architects, designers. These specialists will always find a well-paid job here. Preference is given to those of them who already know the Chinese language or are willing to make efforts to study it. This knowledge, by the way, will prove useful in later life, or if this work does not suit something, and we will have to look for another. Also, specialists in the field of marketing, managers of sales of shares, in PR and branding sector, advertising are required.

Execution of documents

Even having obtained the consent of the employer and having reached an agreement on the terms of employment, it is not worth hurrying to pack suitcases. Ahead is a long enough procedure for issuing a "Z" visa, which makes it possible to work in Shanghai as a specialist attracted from abroad. The inviting company, however, will maximally facilitate the registration of documents, but it will take a lot of efforts. In particular, you will have to go through a detailed medical commission, as well as provide a number of documents and certificates. The register of required securities periodically changes, like rules, and to avoid misunderstandings, it should be watched, since the whole process of clearance can take several months.