Do I need a visa to enter China?

Teachers who come to China must now get their Z visa, (the visa required to be able to work in China as a teacher.), You can get your Z visa through the Chinese Consulate in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, or the Chinese Embassy in Ottawa. .However, before applying for your Z visa you will need some documents sent to you from the school.  Once you have signed your contract the documents you require will be sent to you by courier.

Make sure that your passport is up to date, has at least 6 blank pages and at least more than a year remaining on it.  Although the passport can be easily updated here in China through the Consulate, doing can create a number of problems associated with your visa status.

Please keep all receipts from your visa as you will need these in order to be reimbursed by the school.

During the first week, the support staff, at Sino-Canada will begin the process for acquiring a residency permit for you. As a requirement for residency each teacher must undergo a medical check at the Travel Clinic in Wujiang.  The test will include a chest x-ray, ultra-sound, hearing and vision test as well as blood tests. This is a modern clinic and is used to provide medical checks for Westerners arriving in China. It should be noted that anyone with HIV or sexually transmitted diseases will not be admitted to China.

Your residency permit and long stay visa will be processed upon your arrival in China.  Your resident visa is placed in your passport.  You will need to show your passport any time you travel in China - whether you travel by air or train, and when staying  in hotels your passport is a must.


Canadians do not need a visa to enter either Hong Kong or Macao.
Canadians may stay for up to 3 months in Hong Kong and 1 month in Macao without a visa.
They do need, however, a visa to enter the rest of China.