Guangzhou - Post Report Question and Answers
What types of jobs do most expatriate spouses/partners have? Locally based or telecommuting? Full-time or part-time? Can you comment on local salary scales?
Only US consulate employment for US diplomats. They can't even work in international schools here. Lots of teaching options if you're not with a diplomatic/consular mission though. - Apr 2023
Spousal employment is tough, there is no bilaterial work agreement, and with the budget shortfall, there are very few EFM jobs. I know EFMs that are online teachers, photographers, bakers. There are a lot of tandem couples here because the mission is large, and the mission is very supportive of tandems. - Aug 2021
Hmmmm...not many. - Nov 2018
None, not even adequate jobs at the consulate. The EPAP program is a joke here. The only jobs for EFMs are as consular assistants. There are quite a few couples that choose to have one spouse live in HK for employment reasons. - Nov 2015
My impression is that there weren't a lot of options, although while I was there one person was working at one of the international schools, and another had started a home business as a personal trainer. Almost everyone else who wanted to work was working at the Consulate in some capacity. - Aug 2014
Yeah, some. - May 2013
If you're a spouse with the consulate, you're not allowed to work on the local economy, but there are usually openings available for spouses at the consulate. - Apr 2013
If you work for the consulate and your spouse/partner wants a job, they can work. This is one of the few posts where there are more jobs than people who want to work. They are good, well paying jobs as well. - Jan 2013
- Oct 2011
Teaching English is a big one. Things related to business or import/export facilitation would do well too. - May 2011
No. There is no bilateral agreement for spousal employment. If you come here with a job, good. If not, good luck. - Jul 2009
It can be tough. There's no bilateral work agreement, so diplomatic spouses have to work within the mission. There's a lot of industry here, but it seems like most of the expat jobs are outside of Guangzhou - Jan 2009
