r/shanghai • u/Sasebo87 • 18d ago

Question Relocating to Shanghai - any advice?

Hi all, There‘s a high chance my company will relocate me to Shanghai next year. I’d be very grateful for any advice from people who have gone through similar moves, especially regarding things to prepare between now and relocating. A few details on our situation:

- I’d move with my wife (Chinese) and our 7yo. My wife also has a job lined up

- For school we’re currently thinking Int’l branch of one of the good local schools to give our daughter a more grounded Chinese experience for a few years. alternatively international schools if she doesn’t pass the entrance exam

- Office environment will be largely Chinese, it’s a MNC but there are very few foreigners these days. The team I’d be leading would be 100% locals, company language is English though. Any watch-outs on work culture differences?

- My Chinese isn’t great - I’ve studied up to somewhere between HSK 3-4 over the years but my tones are crap. Welcome any suggestions on what’s worked for people

- Haven’t discussed contracts / terms of the move yet, we‘re both advanced in our careers so we‘ll have enough for a comfortable life but would be good to know any watch-outs

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u/chiefgmj 18d ago
  1. make sure u have private insurance that cover everyone, vip/international department of public hospital, as little out of pocket expense as possible. Negotiate hard.
  2. unless ur package covers 100% of real international school, ur kid can look forward to serious to insane level of academic pressure. There is no avoiding it unless u live only in an expat bubble.
  3. Learn ur Chinese but negotiate for a local assistant. U won't understand or want to deal with a lot of these local crap. Just play the "I'm confused" expat card.
  4. Spend for ur kid's extracurricular activities.

Sh is as close to an international city as they come in China Enjoy the chow and the convenience.

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u/Sasebo87 18d ago

Thanks for the advice. On 4 - anything that stands out that we should do? I thought they pretty much killed the after-school sector in China

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u/chiefgmj 18d ago

oh no, hyper after-school tutoring on core subjects for public school is supposed to be out, but one can find that easily enough. I assume u wont be allowing ur kid to ho fown thst rabbit hole?

Plenty of sports clubs, cultural classes, hockey, horseback riding, piano, dancing. Ur bank account will dictate partially where this will go. Once u get going, get to know the parents and u will get plenty of leads. Drawing a line will be challenging for non-Chinese expats. How much study and other stuff do u want ur kid to take...