z type with 1 year work experience

I have received conflicting advice regarding requirements for a z type. Some sources state that 2 years' full time experience in your chosen field is required for one to qualify as a 'foreign expert', others claim that this is not necessary, and yet others claim that the application process is highly variable and your acceptance depends by and large on those assessing your forms.

I hope to teach English as a foreign language. I have one year's full time experience, an Irish passport and have previously acquired a Chinese visa (in 2007 or so). What are my chances of getting a z type? I also understand that applying for an L type and transferring to Z after arriving used to be the norm, but this practice has died out with more stringent application processes in recent years.