The city urged educational institutions to follow the law when hiring foreign teachers after finding that only 16 of the city's 101 educational institutions employing foreign teachers got an employment permit.

Zhou Jintao, vice chief of the city's personnel bureau, told representatives from six district education departments and 70 major public schools Tuesday that the 101 educational institutions, including middle and primary schools, kindergartens and training centers, had employed about 1,000 foreign teachers, but many of them had done so without going through the proper process.

"They must apply for an employment permit qualifying them for recruiting foreign staff," said Zhou.

Institutions without a permit could face fines from 5,000 to 50,000 yuan (US$600 to 6,000).

According to relevant regulations, all foreign teachers working in educational institutes must obtain three documents, including a working permit, an employment visa and a foreign expert certificate.

Zhou said some schools had employed unqualified foreign teachers because they didn't examine foreign teachers' qualifications.

"Some foreign teachers have been working illegally, only with a tourist or student visa," Zhou said.

The administration of foreign experts affairs issues employment permits to educational institutes planning to employ foreign teachers.

According to Peng Yao, director of the city's administration office of international cooperation and private schools, there are now more than 1,700 educational institutes of various kinds in Shenzhen.

At present, there are about 10,000 expatriates living in the city with a residence permit, according to Huang Yun, an official with the entry and exit administration department.

(Shenzhen Daily June 29, 2005)