Living and Working in Chengdu
An Introduction to Chengdu
Chengdu is the capital of Sichuan province and hosts the internationally renowned breeding centre for giant pandas. It is situated three hours from Hong Kong by plane in an area renowned for its fertile land and temperate climate. The surrounding Chengdu Plain is bordered by mountains and forests. The city has a population of 16 million.
The history of the city can be traced back 2,400 years to when the first emperor built his capital here. Through thousands of years, its original name has been kept and its position as the capital and as the significant centre of politics, commerce and military of the Sichuan area (once called Shu) has remained unchanged.
As a rising city, Chengdu is becoming more significant at an international level. In 2018, 285 Fortune 500 companies started business in Chengdu, including 198 overseas companies. Among those companies, 121 were established in the prosperous and fast-growing High-technology District in Chengdu. Chengdu is the most popular city for overseas nationals in the middle west part of China with around 20,000 people from over 160 countries living in Chengdu as long-term residents.
In 2018, the Chengdu Government introduced major projects with a total investment of over 833 billion RMB. Chengdu continues to enhance the international business environment and aims to increase the number of Fortune 500 companies over the coming years.
Attractions
Chengdu is home to the Giant Panda and is the transport hub for the Sichuan region, which is famous not only for its many heritage sites but also for its astonishing natural landscapes. You can spend weekends visiting the fairyland Jiuzhaigou National Park, Dujiangyan (an ancient irrigation system), Mount Qingcheng (Taoist Mountain), Three-Star Piles site (an astonishing archaeological discovery) and many other places of interest. There is a relaxing teahouse culture, lively nightlife that mixes craft beer bars and popular clubs with Sichuan opera shows and delicious Sichuan food. Chengdu is a city worth exploring fully to appreciate its amazing cultural and natural beauty.
Working
Experienced educators, with suitable qualifications (a Bachelors degree and recognised teaching licence) are permitted to live and work in China with a Z visa. The Z visa can be applied for and obtained with the close support of your dedicated HR Team.
At SPGSI Chengdu, we offer competitive overseas packages for educators including base salary, accommodation allowance, visa costs, medical insurance, joining flights, annual flight allowance, relocation allowance and free schooling.
| Expat | Chinese |
|---|---|
| Competitive Salaries | Competitive Salaries |
| Housing | Chinese Housing Fund |
| Comprehensive Medical Insurance | Social insurance and commercial insurance |
| Relocation Allowance, Annual return Flight to Home Country | — |
Free lunch, holiday vouchers, fully paid holidays
Outstanding Support and Development
Mentoring
Teachers are mentored and new arrivals are assigned a “buddy” to support settling into school and life in Chengdu
Professional Development
An exciting range of value-adding CPD opportunities are offered, supported by an annual Training Needs Analysis and Annual Appraisal Cycle.
Career Progression
All of our vacancies are advertised internally first and staff are encouraged to apply for leadership positions.
Recognition
Annual employee awards programme
Wellbeing
We have a School Counsellor for staff and students plus a 24/7 staff and family access to professional counselling services through our employee support programme.
