6 Perks of Working at a Big Chinese Tech Company

6 Perks of Working at a Big Chinese Tech Company
Oct 01, 2020 By Cian Dineen , eChinacities.com

There was a time when the only careers available to foreigners in China were in manufacturing or teaching. In recent years, however, the country has created a booming tech industry that offers a whole host of job opportunities for foreigners. Working at one of these well-known institutions comes with a number of advantages, both in terms of the day-to-day and long-term career opportunities. Here I bring you six perks of working at a big Chinese tech company.

6 Perks of Working at a Big Chinese Tech Company
Source: John Schnobrich 

1. Fully Legal Employment

There are many work opportunities for foreigners in China, but finding fully legal employment can be harder than you might think. Some companies ask foreigners to work on business or tourist visas, while others try to avoid tax by paying staff under the table or failing to supply social security. Foreigners who work in such shady companies run the risk getting into trouble with the authorities.

The vast majority of big Chinese tech companies, however, insist on making sure everything is above board. With larger resources, more experience dealing with foreigners, and typically more government scrutiny, HR departments usually have well-defined processes and good contacts, making applying for visas a breeze. Additionally, they usually help foreigners get access to the more illusive government benefit schemes, such as the housing provident fund.

2. Comprehensive Health Insurance

Commercial health insurance is one of the most important things to have when you’re working and living in a foreign country, yet it’s still not provided as standard by companies employing foreigners in China. All legal employees should have social insurance, but this can only be used in government hospitals and coverage is limited.

As big Chinese tech companies tend to hire more foreigners and Chinese who have returned after studying or working abroad, they tend to offer more internationally-acceptable employment packages. Many of China’s leading tech firms provide commercial health insurance to foreign workers, if not all their staff. This may include inpatient and outpatient care, access to VIP hospitals, and even coverage both inside and outside of mainland China.

For those without commercial health insurance in China, a sudden accident or serious illness can cost a fortune. Some foreigners find themselves having to turn to the expat community for help paying their bills in a crisis, while others will return to their home countries for expensive treatments. Working in a big Chinese tech company that offers health insurance gives you the peace of mind that you will be taken care of if the worst happens.

3. Huge Annual Bonuses

China is well known for the annual bonuses it pays employees around Chinese New Year. Local employees work long hours and weekends all year round in the hope that their hard work will be rewarded with a large hong bao at the start of the new year.

In a country where such annual bonuses are widespread, Chinese tech companies are famous for their particularly big payouts. Rumors swirl about some of the top Chinese tech companies paying as much as three, six, nine, even 12 months' salary come Chinese New Year. Although Chinese workers typically get the biggest payouts (because they’re probably on lower wages to start with and work more overtime), foreign workers can still bag a huge cherry on top of their salaries.

4. In-Office & Staff Perks

Many Chinese tech companies harbor a strong desire to imitate the biggest names in Silicon Valley, even if they don’t care to admit it publicly. This is particularly true when it comes to company culture and staff perks.

Many leading Chinese tech companies boast large, green campuses where employees enjoy high-end canteens offering a wide variety of international cuisine, state-of-the-art gyms, and group classes and activities throughout the week. Team building trips to far-flung destinations like Thailand or Japan may also not be out of the question.

These factors aren’t reason enough to work for a Chinese tech company, but it’s these little touches that can make all the difference when it comes to having a good work-life balance in China.

5. Chances for Promotion

While there are still plenty of attractive opportunities for foreigners in manufacturing and teaching in China, these roles are often the beginning and the end of the available career path at a single company. Senior positions in mature Chinese factories and educational institutions are typically occupied by locals, making in-house promotion very difficult for expats.

In big Chinese tech companies, however, there’s often plenty of opportunity for upward mobility. Many of these businesses, while already massively successful, are still relatively new. Roles, teams, and even entire departments can appear overnight.

All these new roles need to be filled, and the tendency is to promote from within where possible. When working in a big Chinese tech company, you may enter as a marketing assistant but find yourself managing your own team within a few years.

6. A Boon for Your Resume

The final perk, and perhaps the most important, is that working in a big Chinese tech company is a great career move. Having a resume full of China experience can sometimes be challenging for those wanting to move back to their own countries after a stint here. The company names are unfamiliar to prospective employers and the work experience may not always be transferable.

Having a few years of experience at a well known Chinese tech company is a different story altogether. Many of these businesses have achieved recognition around the world, meaning your experience will be impressive to potential employers everywhere. Furthermore, the skills you learned at a Chinese tech firm are likely to be useful in similar companies all over the world. Working in a big Chinese tech company may turn out to be the stepping stone to that dream job back home.

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Keywords: working at a big Chinese tech company foreign workers in China

8 Comments

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Nikwestside

Having worked for three tech companies in China myself, I can confirm that most of these are true to some degree. It depends on how big the company is, how well-funded they are, and (of course) how well they are doing financially.

Oct 24, 2020 00:23 Report Abuse

Dandman

This was an interesting read, thanks.

Oct 09, 2020 16:53 Report Abuse

abel-1992

Thanks for the info!

Oct 03, 2020 04:49 Report Abuse