Many people who are interested in working in China want to know the answer to this question: can you work in China without knowing Chinese?
The real answer is a bit more nuanced, but the simple answer is: yes, you can undoubtedly work in China without speaking Chinese. In some cases, it might even be an advantage if you don’t speak Chinese!
You’re probably thinking: what? You’re crazy! How can I move to a country and expect to work there without knowing the local language? No one would ever think of moving to (insert favourite English-speaking country here) without knowing at least some English!
Well, the fact is, most jobs for expats in China do not require you to speak Chinese. Here are the most “urgently needed” talents in China at the moment, according to China Daily:
- Senior management professionals at major multinational enterprises
- Senior specialists at major multinational accounting, finance, and architecture firms
- Senior science and education professors who have made significant contributions to their field
- Renowned cultural and sports figures or major award winners
High standards, right? Now, I know that most of us are probably not a “senior” anything yet (except maybe a senior in college). So, what are the most promising job prospects for fresh grads or those with less than, say, 20 years of experience in a particular field?
According to Laowai Careers, the top 10 jobs for expats that don’t require massive amounts of experience are:
- Education (English teaching)
- IT
- Engineering
- Marketing
- English Editing/Writing
- Trading
- Accounting/Finance
- Hotel Management
- Advertising
- Translation
These jobs don’t necessarily require you to be able to speak Chinese. In the case of English teaching or English editing/writing, not speaking Chinese can in fact be a big advantage. Parents actually prefer to place their children in a completely English-speaking environment, even if their children don’t know any English, in the hopes that they will learn through immersion. Thus, teachers who don’t speak Chinese or teachers who have a great command of their own native English are highly sought after. And for English editing and writing, many companies prefer to have someone who doesn’t speak Chinese so their writing can be as pure, fluent, and as “untainted” as possible.
The demand for English is so high I would argue that the one language you absolutely should know before going to work in China is English! Chinese people expect people from abroad to speak English anyway (even if they don’t come from an English-speaking country) and will often accommodate them by communicating in English instead of Chinese. Additionally, if you want to work as a part-time private tutor, it will also be more lucrative for you to teach English, even if English is not your first language! It simply pays more per hour than any other language, which is why I know many Spaniards and Russians who teach English instead of their own beautiful native languages, precisely because they can earn more money. Weird fact of life, eh?
What’s more, you will often see things like this on Chinese job postings:
Looking at those job ads, you can figure out pretty clearly what most employers are looking for. And when they do mention anything about Chinese language ability, it usually looks like this:
The ability to speak Chinese, at least in the majority of employers’ minds, is merely a bonus.
But, why don’t you need to know Chinese to work in China?
For one thing, Chinese companies know that they can’t be too picky when they really need foreign talent. If they find a really experienced person, they’re not going to pass up on them just because they don’t know how to speak Chinese. And second, most of these companies, schools, and firms will already have Chinese employees that can speak passable English anyway, and they will be there to help foreign employees adjust to the demands of their new job, translate for them, and generally make their lives easier.
Okay, so I don’t need to know Chinese to work in China. But can I make a good salary?
Another simple answer: it depends, but for the most part, yes. Let’s have a look at the average salaries for expats in a variety of hot job fields:
Taking just the top three highest paying jobs (hardware engineering, science/R&D/lab work, and human resources), it’s a safe bet that what employers are really seeking are hard skills and proven experience in highly-skilled jobs. Just like in most countries, people will hire and pay you more based on your expertise in a certain field; China is no different. Knowledge of Chinese is definitely a plus, but it will not be the determining factor when companies decide to hire you nor will your Chinese level be used to judge your work competency. The demand for skills far outweighs the demand that you speak Chinese, across nearly all fields and all levels.
What are Chinese employers looking for?
To sum it all up, Chinese employers are really looking for these things:
- At least 1-2 years of experience in a high-demand field (as listed above)
- Hard skills, especially in the fields of IT, science, accounting, and management
- The ability to adjust to life and work in China
- That you can at least speak English
Unless your job explicitly states that you must be able to speak Chinese to perform your duties properly (like me as a translator), the ability to speak Chinese is just a bonus. However, I can say from personal experience that knowing Chinese has made my daily life easier, and it has also made it easier to communicate with colleagues who perhaps are uncomfortable with speaking English. In addition, knowledge of Chinese can help you get a leg up on the competition when hunting for jobs, but it is not essential to obtaining a decent job with a good salary.
Till next time. Happy job hunting!