Important Transition Information
Visa
How do I legally work at WAB and live in Beijing?
Based on the Chinese regulations, all WAB foreign employees must obtain a work permit and employment residence permit under WAB within a specified period. All their family members also need to obtain a private business residence permit under WAB.
Who should I contact?
The Legal Affairs Department is a key office of WAB, and is in charge of work and residence permit application for all WAB community members.
The school’s Head of Legal Affairs Department, Zhang Rui and his team, will support you throughout the process. Chester Chen (Visa Officer) and Peter Pan (Legal Affairs Officer) are also key people for this work.
Legal Affairs Office will communicate with you one-by-one. Because there may be differences in everyone’s application situation, individualized help will ensure smooth processing of everyone’s work permit and residence permit applications and avoid unnecessary misunderstandings.
Please work closely with them, respond to their emails promptly and allow sufficient time for this process. If you have questions, please contact Mr. Zhang and his team immediately.
Does the school cover the cost of visa application & medical check-up?
Yes. The school will cover the cost of the visa application and medical check-up (medical tests required by the Chinese Embassy/Consulate). The reimbursement excludes unrelated medical checkup tests, additional prescription drugs, and the cost of transportation or accommodation, which will be at the staff member’s personal expense. Original receipts are required for reimbursement.
Arrival
WAB provides your inbound flight to Beijing.
How much can I spend on airfaire?
For those of you who are relocating from overseas, WAB will provide Teachers, contractual Spouses and Children under 18 years of age an inbound one-way economy class air ticket on a regularly scheduled airline from the current workplace location or home country to Beijing. The allowance is up to a gross of RMB 12,000 for each employee and family member. If you are currently working in China, WAB will provide Teachers, contractual Spouses and Children under 18 years of age an inbound one-way economy class air ticket on a regularly scheduled airline from your current location in China to Beijing. The payment of the airfare works on a “pay-then-claim” system if you are using any other ticketing agent except WAB’s preferred agent who can directly bill the school.
WAB’s preferred travel agents can source you the ticket and directly invoice the school:
Anna Yin
Beijing Baosheng Air Travel Service Co.,Ltd
Room 209-C12,Tower B, Jiahui Intl Center No.6 Jiqingli, Chaoyang District, Beijing PRC 100020
Tel: +86 10 65529455
Mobile: +86 136 0 111 1212 Email: annayin89@hotmail.com
Anne Kang
Beijing Atlas Travel Ltd
Room1008, RuiChen International Center, No.13
Nongzhanguan South Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100125
Tel: +86 10 6508 4351
Email: anne@atlastravel.com.cn
Vanessa Han
Beijing Bao Sheng Air Service Company Limited
Room 402C, Tower B, Jia Hui International Center, No. 6 Jiqingli
Chaoyang District, Beijing. P. R. China. Post code: 100020
Tel : (0086-10) 65532530, 65532280
Fax :(0086-10) 65533510
Mobile : (0086) 13901294774
Email : vanessa.han@vip.163.com
What should I submit to apply for my air ticket reimbursement?
After your arrival, to apply for reimbursement, you should submit the original receipts of cash/credit card transactions. Please note that an original receipt must accompany invoices. Air tickets purchased through ‘frequent flyer miles’ credits are not reimbursable.
When should I arrive in China?
You should aim to arrive in China 30th or 31st of July. HR Specialist Jane Zhang will reach out to you in June to collect the following information:
- Flight number
- Airline
- Departure date
- Arrival date & time
*Please note Beijing has 2 airports. Beijing Capital airport is close to WAB while Beijing Daxing airport is 70km away from the school. We recommend you to try to land at Beijing Capital airport.
Jane Zhang
HR Specialist
jie_zhang@wab-edu.cn
Tel: +86 10 5986 5588 ext. 1216
Mobile: +86 186 1299 1385
WeChat: Jane102413
Shipping
WAB provides overseas hired staff members with a shipping allowance which covers actual costs up to a set limit as stated in the staff member’s Employment Agreement Attachment WAB Compensation and Benefit Guidelines.
The shipping allowance is based on the cost of shipping from your current location to Beijing according to the RMB allowance granted to you based on your employment status. Charges that exceed the approved amount will be at your personal expense. The following table shows the allowance allocated to different employment status:
- Single: RMB 22,000 (+ RMB 7,000 for a spouse not working)
- Couple: RMB 44,000
- Pr. child RMB 7,000 (max 2 children)
- The inbound allowance must be used within the first school year.
- The allowance for moving within China is RMB 10,000 pr. family
Who is WAB’s shipping agent?
WAB selects one shipping company as our sole shipping provider. Based on the quotes of the shipping service providers in our panel, HR will confirm the agent contact as soon as it is available.
Payment for shipment
The school’s preferred agent will invoice WAB directly. Should your shipment cost more than the WAB shipping allowance, you will be informed via email (by the shipping agent) and will be required to confirm whether you would like to pay any such costs directly to them when the shipment arrives at your home or have the school pay it for you and deduct it from your salary.
Will my shipment be covered by insurance?
Your granted shipping allowance covers both shipping cost and insurance premium.
Shipment Insurance Procedure
The agent will email the Insurance Policy and Application Form to you. Please acknowledge receipt of the email, read the terms and conditions thoroughly, and return the completed insurance paperwork to them by email. The agent should confirm via email upon receipt of your insurance paperwork. Please note that ticking the full value insurance box is an easy way but may lead to higher insurance. Listing items one by one requires a lot of work but, based on experience, is more cost-efficient. Please make an informed decision before choosing. Insurance costs will be paid from your shipping allowance.
Note: The shipping agent should receive your insurance paperwork at least five working days BEFORE packing. Do this as early as possible. Non-compliance means your goods will travel un-insured and at your own risk.
Overtime Charges
Please note that there will be additional charges for delivery where there are no elevators, (having to climb stairs to high floors) and overtime during the following hours:
- Weekday: 5:30pm or after
- Weekends: All day
- Public Holidays: All day
How will the shipping agent communicate with me?
Email is the key communication tool used by the shipping agent. It is critical that you inform both WAB HR and the shipping agent if there are changes to your contact details. To ensure the process flows smoothly, you are responsible for checking your emails and responding promptly. You are also encouraged to keep a file of all emails and paperwork related to shipment for future reference. Feel free to ask any questions you may have.
When should my shipment arrive?
The shipping agent will plan for your shipment to arrive after the third week of September, as your Foreigner’s Residence Permit is required for Customs Clearance and takes approximately 6 weeks (after your arrival) to obtain. To avoid moving twice, we usually suggest the shipping agent arrange shipment delivery after you settle at your permanent housing.
What does the shipping process look like?
- HR will notify the shipping agent of your move and give them your contact details.
- The shipping agent will contact you via email to introduce themselves and explain their procedures.
- The shipping agent’s appointed representative in your location (origin agent) will conduct an assessment at your house to estimate the volume you will ship. The estimated quotation is only a guide, and the actual cost will be based on the FINAL volume shipped. Accordingly, you should notify both the origin agent and the shipping agent if items are added after the survey.
- The shipping agent will provide you and WAB’s HR Department with the estimated costs of your shipment after the home survey.
- Upon receiving approval from the HR Department, the shipping agent will split your costs into the personal portion and the WAB portion.
Note: If there is excess cost, you must confirm by email whether you accept these excess charges or advise the shipping agent that you wish to stay within your allowance, which may mean reducing the number of items being shipped. - The origin agents will provide full professional packing of all items to be shipped. You should not pack any items yourself. Any items prepacked by you will be listed as packed by the owner (PBO) and will not qualify for full insurance coverage. Pre-packing may also encourage a closer-than-needed inspection by customs.
- Beijing does not have a seaport. The shipping agent will arrange for the shipment to arrive at the port of Xingang (in Tianjin, the closest port to Beijing) after the third week of September. The expected arrival date (ETA) cannot be exact, as it is influenced by many factors (such as weather, shipping delays, and vessel availability).
- Before the arrival of your shipment, the shipping agent will coordinate with you to complete all paperwork required to obtain an Import Permit.
- Upon the shipment’s arrival, the shipping agent will arrange customs clearance. Your passport and work permit will be retained for about five working days for customs clearance.
- After customs clearance, the shipping agent will deliver the shipment to your home in Beijing. Please arrange an agreed delivery day/time with the shipping agent well in advance, as availability of crews/vehicles may not be available on short notice. Please notify the agent if your building doesn’t have an elevator or if you live in a Hu Tong before delivery.
- You must be present for delivery to receive your shipment and inspect for loss or damage. Any items/cartons not opened at the time of delivery are subject to the terms and conditions of the insurance company with regard to claims for loss and/or damage.
What should I Ship?
To plan for shipping, it may be helpful to categorize your items into two groups:
Immediate Needs
These are things you must have within the first 8 -12 weeks of relocation, and should be put in your luggage when flying to Beijing. Since your shipment will not arrive until mid/end of September, and even though the weather is still relatively warm around September/October, do pack a few warm clothes, just in case.
Non-immediate Needs
These are things that you want but can do without until your shipment arrives. These things should go into your shipment.
Pets
Shipping pets can be expensive, and your pet may be quarantined. Before deciding to ship your pet, you should find out the current regulations in your country of origin as well as in China. Since regulations often change, contact the shipping agent and ask for their recommendation for a reliable agent to handle pet import if you are considering this option.
Loss or Damage
An independent insurance broker specializing in shipment insurance provides insurance for loss and/or damage to goods in transit and during storage. In the unfortunate event of any loss or damage, an ‘Initial Notification Form’ must be sent to the shipping agent within 30 days after delivery or scheduled delivery. The shipping agent will help coordinate this with you and the insurance broker. It is recommended that you should contact the shipping agent as soon as you have identified any loss or damage to understand the claim procedures.
Should I ship furniture and dinnerware?
No. You are NOT advised to ship furniture because it is fully taxable and apartments in Beijing come with basic furniture, fixtures and household appliances. Dinnerware and kitchenware are not provided in most apartments, but during your orientation week, or right after, there will be a shopping trip to IKEA to buy your basic kitchenware, crockery, cutlery and utensils.
What should I avoid shipping?
Generally, the first shipment comes through Beijing Customs duty-free or with marginal tax/duty for personal effects such as clothes, books, and household goods. However, all electrical/electronic items, furniture, food or luxury items (i.e., golf clubs), and similar items are fully taxable, and duty may change without prior notice. Avoid shipping these items, or if you do so, consult the shipping agent to make an informed decision. WAB cannot help you to reduce the tax and duty once decided by the customs. If any customs duty applies, it will be your total personal cost.
Beijing Customs does not permit the inclusion of alcohol, wine, and spirits. Foodstuff should be limited to small quantities of spices and dried foodstuff that must not include any dairy or meat products of any kind. Desktop computers, electronic or electrical appliances/goods will definitely attract import tax/duty, and most can be purchased in Beijing. Laptops should be hand-carried.
If in doubt, please check with the shipping agent in Beijing. Do not check with the packing agent outside Beijing, as they are unfamiliar with Beijing Customs regulations. For more information on China customs and import duty, please refer to www.aemovers.com.hk.
Here is an old customs import duty list for your reference only.
Please refer to the Asian Express International Movers page for the updated live-duty calculator.
Important, If you have lived in Beijing or China Previously:
If you have lived in China before and have previously imported a shipment of duty free personal effects, it is highly likely that the Chinese Customs authorities have recorded this and any subsequent shipment may possibly be subject to full import duty/tax on ALL items. If this is the case, please check with the shipping agent before you proceed to ship your personal effects this time so that they can advise you accordingly. This does not apply to domestic move e.g. from Nanjing to Beijing.
WAB Shipping Contact Person:
Sally You
HR Officer
syou@wab-edu.cn
Tel: +86 10 5986 5588 ext. 1209
Mobile: +86 137 1664 1394