In short
On 19 October 2026, SilkPath listed 57 English-speaking jobs in Shanghai open to foreigners: 40 corporate roles, 14 teaching roles and 3 internships, with NXP Semiconductors and Dior posting the most. Where a salary was stated, teaching jobs offered ¥18,000 to ¥36,000 a month and corporate jobs ¥8,000 to ¥32,000. Every job, even part-time, needs a work permit sponsored by the employer.
Last updated: 19 October 2026. The job figures below come from the ads live on SilkPath on 19 October 2026 and change every day. Work permit rules are set by Shanghai’s authorities and can change: confirm your own case with your employer.
Yes, there are English-speaking jobs in Shanghai for foreigners, and not only in teaching. On 19 October 2026, SilkPath listed 57 live jobs in Shanghai open to Western professionals and posted in English: 40 corporate roles, 14 teaching and education roles and 3 internships. That makes Shanghai the busiest mainland city on our job board, with about one in seven of our 425 live ads.
This guide shows who is hiring in English in Shanghai right now, what they pay when they say so, and what you need to work there legally. Every number comes from real listings, with their date.
English-speaking jobs in Shanghai: what is open right now
We looked at every ad on SilkPath located in Shanghai on 19 October 2026 (ads are removed after 30 days, so this covers jobs posted between 23 September and 19 October 2026). Most came from LinkedIn (38 ads) and eChinaCities (17 ads).
| Type of role | Live jobs in Shanghai | Examples from the ads |
|---|---|---|
| Corporate and other roles | 40 | field application engineers, sales and key account managers, influencer and brand marketing, IT security, programme officer |
| Teaching and education | 14 | primary and secondary English teachers, international school subject teachers, kindergarten homeroom teacher, part-time English teachers |
| Internships | 3 | 2027 field quality engineering intern, strategy intern, cybersecurity test intern |
| All roles | 57 |
The surprise for many people: in Shanghai, corporate roles outnumber teaching jobs on our board by almost three to one. In the rest of mainland China, it is the other way round: on the same day, our board had 98 teaching roles against 83 corporate roles outside Shanghai. See the full breakdown by city and type of role on our monthly data page.
Who is hiring in English in Shanghai
The employers with the most live Shanghai ads on 19 October 2026 were:
- NXP Semiconductors (9 ads): mostly senior field application and systems engineers for automotive and edge AI chips, plus two internships;
- Parfums Christian Dior (7 ads): influencer marketing, brand content, training and retail development;
- A.P. Moller – Maersk, Abbott, Haleon and TEMU (2 ads each): sales, marketing, technical sales and AI engineering roles.
Other employers include Royal Caribbean Group, L’Oréal, JD.com, Messe Berlin, Nord Anglia Education, Dulwich College Shanghai and the Deutsche Schule Shanghai. The pattern is clear: multinationals with a regional hub in Shanghai, and international schools.
If you speak another European language, look closely: some ads ask for it on top of English (for example a German and French receptionist role at the German school). None of the 57 job titles mentions Mandarin, but some descriptions may treat it as a plus, so read each ad in full.
What English-speaking jobs in Shanghai pay
Only 17 of the 57 Shanghai ads state a salary. The amounts below are advertised ranges in yuan (RMB), usually before tax, not confirmed pay:
| Group | Ads with a salary | Advertised range |
|---|---|---|
| Teaching, paid monthly | 5 | ¥18,000 to ¥36,000 a month (for example an international school PE teacher at ¥25,000–33,000) |
| Corporate roles, paid monthly | 7 | ¥8,000 to ¥32,000 a month (for example a senior key account manager at ¥25,000–28,000) |
| Paid by the hour | 5 | ¥200 to ¥500 an hour for part-time teaching |
Two things stand out. First, none of the employers with the most ads (NXP, Dior, Maersk, Abbott, Haleon) publishes a salary, so the corporate figures above come from a handful of other employers. Second, Shanghai teaching offers are in line with the rest of the country: our analysis of teaching salaries in China found a median of about ¥23,500 a month in October 2026.
Whatever the offer, compare it with what Shanghai costs. Our Shanghai vs Chengdu cost of living guide puts a Western-style one-bedroom in a central district at ¥7,000–9,000 a month.
Part-time English jobs in Shanghai: a warning
Five of the Shanghai ads with a salary are paid by the hour, mostly for part-time English teaching. Be careful. Shanghai’s government states that all foreign employees working in Shanghai, regardless of nationality, visa type or employment duration, are required to obtain a work permit. A part-time job is still a job: you cannot take one on a tourist visa, visa-free entry or a student visa without the right authorisation, and a work permit is tied to the employer that sponsors it.
How to get a job in Shanghai as a foreigner
- Pick your track. Corporate roles in Shanghai usually ask for experience in the field (engineering, sales, marketing, compliance). Teaching roles ask for a degree, a native English passport for most English posts, and usually a TEFL certificate.
- Check the work permit basics. Every legal job comes with a work permit sponsored by the employer and a Z visa. Shanghai grades permits with a points system (salary, education, experience, age and more). Our step-by-step guide explains how to get a work visa in China.
- Prepare your documents early. The criminal record check is usually the slowest one. See our guide to the China criminal record check and apostille.
- Apply where these jobs are posted. Start with jobs in Shanghai on SilkPath, then LinkedIn for corporate roles and teaching boards for schools. Our list of the best job boards in China for foreigners compares them.
- Interview from home. First interviews are usually held by video call. Ask early which visa you will work on and who files the work permit.
Recent graduates: Shanghai’s government lists a separate Category C work permit guide for foreign university graduates, both of Chinese universities and of overseas universities, and another for youth interns in exchange programmes with France, Germany and Singapore. Eligibility depends on your degree and on where you will work, so read the official guide and our article on internships in China for foreigners before you accept an offer.
Is Shanghai the right city for you?
On our job board, Shanghai has more English-speaking corporate jobs than any other mainland city, but it also has some of the highest rents. If you teach, look at other cities too: in our October 2026 ads, teaching pay in Chengdu was close to Shanghai’s, for a much lower cost of living. Compare cities in our guide to Chinese cities for expats, and browse corporate jobs, teaching jobs and internships across Greater China.
FAQ
Can I find an English-speaking job in Shanghai without Mandarin?
Yes. On 19 October 2026, none of the 57 Shanghai job titles on SilkPath mentioned Mandarin, and every ad was posted in English. Mandarin is still a real advantage, especially at Chinese companies, so read each description.
What jobs can foreigners get in Shanghai?
Mostly corporate roles at multinationals (engineering, sales, marketing, compliance), teaching at international and bilingual schools and training centres, and a few internships. In our 19 October 2026 listings, corporate roles outnumbered teaching roles by 40 to 14.
How much do English-speaking jobs in Shanghai pay?
In our ads with a stated monthly salary, teaching jobs offered ¥18,000 to ¥36,000 a month and corporate jobs ¥8,000 to ¥32,000. Most multinationals do not publish a salary.
Can I work part-time in Shanghai on a tourist visa?
No. Shanghai’s government says all foreign employees working in Shanghai need a work permit, regardless of visa type or how long the job lasts.
Where can I find English-speaking jobs in Shanghai?
On English-language job boards such as SilkPath, on LinkedIn for multinationals, and on teaching boards for schools. See all current jobs in Shanghai.
Sources
- SilkPath job board, ads located in Shanghai and live on 19 October 2026 (57 ads, posted 23 September to 19 October 2026): silkpath.org/jobs/china/shanghai
- Shanghai Municipal People’s Government, “Applying for a Foreigner’s Work Permit in Shanghai: Comprehensive guide” (31 July 2026, updated 21 September 2026): english.shanghai.gov.cn
- Shanghai Municipal People’s Government, “Foreigner’s Work Permit: Different applicant categories” (updated 21 September 2026): english.shanghai.gov.cn
- SilkPath, Who’s hiring Westerners in China (October 2026 data): silkpath.org
