Foreigners Employment Permit issued by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security of the PR

Johnny, Is the FEC you mentioned the Foreign Expert Certificate? This certificate is usually issued to those people who teach English at school. The Foreigners' Employment Permit is actually the same as Alien Employment Permit. This permit allows foreigners to take other jobs except teaching, for example, those who work at companies.

You know, your new employer is a training insitution. It's like a company. That's why they can help you acquire the Alien Employment Permit. In fact, you needn't worry about this. These two documents are all ok for you to apply for the Z type.

It seems that your new employer asks you to reapply for the Z type outside of the mainland. Can you ask your new employer to confirm whether you can apply from Suzhou Entry and Exit Management Bureau without leaving? If they say no, then you have no choice but apply in HK.

You know, you actually get the work permit first. It is used for you to apply for the Z type. After you get the Z type, you need to change your work permit into the Alien Employment Permit. Then you need to change your Z type into resident permit. Before you apply for the resident permit, you are required to do a physical test at the appointed hospital.

I don't understand why you have to do this in Shanghai. Couldn't you do this in Suzhou?

Thanks for your response.
I understand what you mean about the HK and Shanghai visits. I will look into that.
To clarify, this new place is an English training school for adults. Working there with an Alien Employment Permit rather than a FEC... is this legal? gray area?

Johnny, as long as you work with Z type and have valid resident permit, it isn't counted as legal working.

Hi. Thanks again for your response.
The company has 3 Shanghai centers and a Suzhou center. Looks like their plan would be for the Shanghai center to obtain the new visa in that city, and then I would work in the Suzhou center, which apparently does not have the same licenses to hire foreigners. How legal/illegal/risky is this?

Regarding other possible employment, my residence permit and FEC were issued in Jiangsu province. Would it be possible to smoothly transfer/renew those in a city outside this province? Or would I have to start over again and exit China?