Compass, porcelain, gunpowder, parachute, silk, paper, and matches. What do these items have in common? It is simple. All of those were invented in China hundreds of years ago as Chinese civilization is one of the oldest in the world. In the twenty-first century, a breakthrough in China’s economy is called the economic miracle. The country has transformed from a developing state with millions of poor people into a powerful machine that literally produces half of the world goods. This article will shed a light on China’s success story, provide the tips on how to immigrate to China, and explain what expats encounter before moving to China from the USA, Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, Russia, and other countries.
China has been attracting international students and expats from all over the world, so there are pretty many people relocating from the USA to China or moving from the European and the Middle East states. Planning relocation in advance is a good practice to immigrate to China smoothly. Thus, it is necessary to choose the most reliable services for international removals to China to send your excess baggage, furniture, musical instruments, and other essential items. International removals to China provided by Eurosender would be the perfect choice for you.
For more information about international removals to China, contact our experienced logistics specialists who have already helped hundreds of our customers to move house.
The notion of immigration to China is conventional because everything depends on the particular city of your future residence as China is the third largest country in the world after Russia and Canada. Anyway, we will provide basic information about China as the first step on the way of exploring this country.
| Location | China occupies the land in the east and south of Asia. |
| Capital city | Beijing |
| Climate | The climate of China is very diverse ranging from subtropical in the southeast to the continental in the northwest. The weather on the southern coast is largely affected by monsoons - seasonal movements of the air which bring pretty much moisture in summer and quite dry winds in winter. |
| Currency | Renminbi (CNY) |
| Population | China is the most populous country in the world as there are 1.4 billion people living there. There are about 1 million foreign students and expats living in China. |
| Language | Chinese is the official language in China. There are about 200 dialects, but Cantonese and Mandarin are the two main ones. |
| Timezone | UTC +8 |
| Surprising fact | More and more factories in China are starting to implement robots in the manufacturing process as an attempt to replace the human workforce. |
Many expats report that living in China is exciting and challenging at the same time. It is recommended to choose the city of your future residence carefully because it should be suitable for you in terms of weather conditions and lifestyle. The most popular cities among international students, expats, and immigrants are Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Tianjin, and Shenyang. Even though these cities differ from each other, we have collected a list of the advantages and disadvantages of living in China in general.
Advantages
Disadvantages
The cost of living in China is not very high while the average salaries for expats range between $1500-2000. Thus, there is a great opportunity to save money or to live like a king in China. Check the table below with the basic expenses of expats who live in the most popular hotspots in China (Shanghai, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Tianjin).
| Cost of renting an apartment (1 bedroom) | $500 |
| Utility bills | $100 |
| Food expenses | $150-300 |
| A meal of the day | $4 |
| A cup of cappuccino | $3-4 |
Those prices may vary depending on the city of your residence. Consider that in rural areas, the prices are lower than those in metropolises.
If you are moving to China mainland, then most likely you will need a visa. There are 4 main types of visa expats usually apply for before they immigrate to China: tourist, student, business, and work visas. Depending on the reason for your stay in China, you need to apply for a corresponding type of visa. Furthermore, Chinese authorities have implemented a new law according to which visa history is of high importance because it influences counsellor’s decision-making to renew or issue a visa. Thus, it is not recommended to have a tourist visa if you plan to work in China because your application could be rejected.
The national healthcare system in China is functioning under the state social insurance plan. Thus, local Chinese citizens and expats obtain basic insurance coverage scheme which may vary from one province to another. In general, health insurance covers a range of medical services and clinical procedures, while others should be reimbursed by individuals.
To be honest, the public healthcare system in China is not as developed as in the USA, Canada, or European countries. However, Chinese people greatly appreciate and rely on thousand-years-old healing practices and techniques.
In China, children start attending school at the age of 7. Primary and secondary education, which lasts for 8-10 years in total, is compulsory for Chinese children. Afterwards, they enrol either in vocational schools, colleges, or universities to pursue a degree or obtain professional skills and qualifications in a certain field.
The quality of education is very high in China as children have an in-depth study of math, Chinese, and some foreign languages. Higher educational institutions are characterized by superb reputation and tend to attract thousands of international students annually. There are many exchange programs and scholarships for international students who are very welcome to study in China.
There is a variety of international schools for children of different ages in China. As expats usually plan to move to big metropolis cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Tianjin, and Shenyang, the majority of international schools are in those areas.
China is the world leader in manufacturing with the highest number of plants and factories compared to any other country. One can find all types of industries in China ranging from mining and agriculture to the information technology sector.
The country is rich in talents and has plenty of qualified professional, however, China has been actively attracting expats for teaching, marketing, sales, and financing jobs. Most immigrants are moving to China as teachers of English. If you would also like to apply for teaching jobs, you should obtain a TEFL certificate in advance.
Chinese people greatly value their culture and traditions. One of the unspoken rules in China states that each citizen should invest in the economy of the country, which assumes that each Chinese must have a personal dwelling or apartment. As the salary rates of Chinese people are usually lower than those of expats, they are forced to take a mortgage and pay it off for years.
Both housing and rental prices fluctuate throughout China. Thus, we have prepared a detailed table with average prices per square meter for those who want to buy a real estate property and the average costs for an apartment rental for those who are eager to rent a room or a flat in one of the biggest cities in China.
| Prices per sq.m. | a private room | 1-bedroom apartment | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beijing | 59,000 CNY ($8,700) | $500-600 | $800-1000 |
| Shanghai | 60,000 CNY ($8,850) | $450-550 | $700-1000 |
| Shenzhen | 39,000 CNY ($5,750) | $350-550 | $650-900 |
| Guangzhou | 30,000 CNY ($4,425) | $350-550 | $650-860 |
| Tianjin | 23,000 CNY ($3,390) | $300-400 | $500-800 |
The traffic on the roads of major Chinese cities seems to be chaotic with lots of traffic jams, but the major principle of the Chinese mindset is to avoid collapses and conflicts on the road. You will have to get a Chinese driving license if you want to drive a vehicle in China. Even tourists are not allowed to drive a car in China with a foreign or international driver’s licence.
The rules on the road in China are similar to those in the rest of the world:
When expats are planning a move, they are usually wondering about the average moving costs to China. Those who relocate from the United States are eager to estimate how much is shipping from the USA to China. We at Eurosender would help you with relocation by offering the cheapest way to move furniture to China and sending other household appliances. Furthermore, you can easily ship motorcycles, coffee machines, musical instruments, and other items you use daily. With international removals to China provided by Eurosender, you will get lower than the average moving costs to China.
Depending on the amount and dimensions of the items you are planning to send, the appropriate shipping option should be chosen. As Eurosender cooperates with renowned logistics providers worldwide, there is flexibility in transportation means ranging from the road to sea freight shipping services.
Arrange everything with our experts and get the most affordable cost of moving house to China by booking freight shipping services and requesting an individual offer. Our professionals are always ready to help you and estimate the average moving costs to China for you.
Many citizens of the UK have already moved to China for teaching, marketing, and sales jobs at very decent salary rates. If you are also moving to China from the United Kingdom soon, we offer an effective solution to transport suitcases and an affordable cost of moving house to China. Door-to-door shipping services are advantageous because you do not need to take your heavy packages and pallets to drop them in the local post office. Just wait for a courier who will pick up all your packages and get ready for relocation.
Disclaimer: The materials provided in this article were collected from other credible resources to be used for general information purposes only. Given that the legislative basis of the country and its economic development have a changing nature, the information provided in the article could be subject to change. Whilst we endeavour to keep the information up-to-date and correct, Eurosender will not be liable for any inappropriate, incomplete, or inaccurate information. Certain links will lead to websites which are not under control of Eurosender. Thus, Eurosender accepts no liability in respect of materials, products or services being not under control of Eurosender.