Your 2023 guide to teaching in China

Teach in China!

Maple Leaf School teachers offer a unique academic opportunity to our students, allowing them the benefit of studying a Canadian curriculum while living in China. MLES is certified by both the BC and Chinese governments and offers a high quality, externally accredited, international private school education.

The MLES Educational Philosophy is based on the belief that through blending elements of the innovative and enquiry-based western educational model with the culturally rich and disciplined traditional Asian educational model, students will be best prepared to meet the challenges of living and working in an internationally diverse society.

Teaching Benefits at Maple Leaf Schools in China

High School Academic Teacher Salary

New teachers start at Step 1 and experienced teachers are placed on the scale with one step for each year of recognized teaching experience.

Step	Annual Salary (CAD)
1	$53,000
2	$54,000
3	$55,500
4	$58,000
5	$60,000
6	$63,000
7	$66,000
8	$68,000
9	$69,000
10	$71,000

In short, if a teacher has no certificated high school teaching experience, then he/she will be placed at step 1;

One year of non-equivalent experience may be placed at Step 1. Step based upon the context.

One year of certificated high school teaching experience will add one salary step; two years of university or ESL teaching experience add one salary step.

Candidates will receive a salary projection when they receive an offer of employment. Note that teachers must verify their work experience. This can be done at any time.

Salary is paid over 12 months, with a fixed number of working days less than 200 per year.

High School Academic Teacher Benefits

2024 Teaching Benefits in China	Details
Airfare	Annual $2000CAD airfare allowance
Accommodation
Health Insurance	Premium medical insurance with emergency coverage in North America during the summer holidays.
Tuition	Dependent spouse/children living with the teacher in China receive annual flights, visas, medical insurance and tuition reduction.
Contract Length	3 Years
Superannuation /Pension Plan	3% salary matching after 2 years of employment
Allowances	Settlement allowance of RMB5000 for first-time teachers.
	Personal freight allowance after three years.
Visa	Visa cost paid by MLES, including reimbursement up to $250CAD for required immunizations.
Holidays/Vacation	6 weeks of paid summer holiday, 4 weeks of winter holiday, and one week each in October and May during Chinese national holidays.
Leave	Bereavement, maternity, and paternity leave.
Bonuses	Master’s Degree: An additional CAD$1,000 is added to the salary step for teachers who hold a recognized Master’s degree in their teachable subject.
	Re-signing: Teachers who complete a three-year contract and renew for an additional three-years receive re-signing bonus of CAD$1,000.
	Referral Bonus: A successful teacher referral program that rewards CAD$1,500 after a successful hire and 30 days of on campus work.

Partnership:

University of Alberta Partnership - Master of Education in Educational Studies

ESL Teacher Salary

Salary for fully qualified teachers is on a seven step scale:

New teachers hired under special permission with less than two years’ experience begin at Step 1 of the MLES ESL Teacher salary scale. MLES offers initial placement of one step on this scale for each two years of full time prior teaching experience.
Annual increments are based on successful completion of each teaching year within MLES. Salary is paid in 12 equal monthly installments deposited directly to the teacher’s bank account.

Step	Annual Salary (RMB)
1	204,000
2	216,000
3	228,000
4	240,000
5	264,000
6	276,000
7	300,000

Salary Step Increments are based on full-time teaching over a full 10-month school year, usually September to July.

Prior Experience Recognition: for initial placement on the MLES salary scale, each two (2) years of full-time classroom teaching experience in a recognized school will result in one (1) step advance on the MLES ESL Teacher salary scale.

Bonus: Referral Bonus: A successful teacher referral program that rewards 4000 RMB after a successful hire and 30 days of on campus work.

ESL Teacher Benefits

2024 ESL Teaching Benefits in China	Details
Orientation	Maple Leaf gives first-time to Maple Leaf teachers an additional 3,000 (RMB) (taxable) in the first pay period to help offset the cost of initial living expenses incurred in moving to China. Apartments are furnished but not equipped. This allowance is for initial purchases of basic living necessities.
Flights	MLES provides round trip airfare up to a maximum of 10000RMB in each year of a three-year contract for travel at the beginning and end of each contract year, usually to be booked, purchased and reimbursed as one way fares to a maximum of 5000RMB. Such flight reimbursements are provided for the Teacher and his/her spouse and dependent child/children (if the spouse and child/children live with the Teacher full time in China) from the point of hire to the Chinese city where the School is located, for each year of the employment contract.
Health Insurance	Premium medical insurance with emergency coverage in North America during the summer holidays
Tuition	MLES provides free tuition for the children of our ESL teachers.
Holidays/Vacation	MLES provides a paid winter break of approximately 4 weeks and an approximately 6 week long summer break, along with one week in October and one week in May during Chinese national holidays. For the October and May holiday, 3 days are national holidays and MLES schools add two days of classes or professional development on Saturdays around the holiday to create the full week long vacation period.
Superannuation /Pension Plan	MLES provides teachers who complete a two-year contract the opportunity to participate in a Maple Leaf Foreign Employees’ Pension Plan. Foreign Employees can further share the achievements of Maple Leaf’s development on the basis of receiving professional remuneration.
Allowances	ESL Teachers are granted a maximum of 5 sick days leave per year with full pay. After the 5 days of sick leave with full pay the Teacher will be granted a further 10 days of sick leave at partial payment. Settlement allowance of RMB 3000 for first-time teachers.
Visa	Visa cost paid by MLES, including reimbursement up to $250CAD for required immunizations.