A bit more information.......
I finally finished my Line Check and applied for my Work visa which means I can legally be PIC in China. 5.5 months. A long time. Lots of frustration, confusion. The people at Capitol have been very friendly, but they are all new so the process took much longer than it should have. I have heard Spring Air is even worse, and in fact 2 guys are coming to Capitol now from Spring. Not sure of the details. I also met two Umuricans and a Taiwanese pilot in dispatch working for Hainan Airlines. One worked there for over 2 years, the other two trying to finish line training. 7.5 months and not finished yet. 300 hours!!!! Capitol has been much easier thus far.
If the China job works out, it seems like a good deal. For many, it doesn't work out. The Hainan guys said all the other pilots they started with did not make it thru. They didn't give me the number that failed.
I really don't think I would recommend China for most pilots unless:
You don't have a job.
You can somehow keep your current job, and come here and try.
The chances of coming here thinking you have a job, and then being sent away, jobless, seem too great. I was a Hybrid of the 2nd group, I had 2 jobs that I could return to within a few months.
There are a lot of "goods", especially at Capitol, if it works out.
1. Money
2. Treated like a Royal guest, everyday, by everyone at work. I have never
been treated better in my life. Ever.
3. Flying is easy, no all nighters, mostly day trips. New jets, decent
maintenance. No 7 hour ATC delays into La Garbage, although PEK is
getting there rapidly.
4. Did I mention the money and great treatment?
Getting the job is the hard part, and for many I think the risk is too great, in my opinion. When you come here you will probably go non-current (6 months) before you get online. If you get canned, which is a very high probability, your ability to get another contract job is severely hindered by your non-current status on the jet.
Just my observations on what it took to get here. I think this is going to work out very well for me, but I think it is mostly dumb luck. It could have just as easily went the other way.
Good luck