For anyone who is interested in learning Chinese and then possibly pursuing a career in China, the HSK has taken on a new level of importance.

China’s new visa points system has now added to what was previously a somewhat vague list of work visa requirements and honed it down to screen for the kind of foreign work force China sees will bring the greatest benefit to their economic development. The new system provides a list of potential points to be earned for, among other things, the visa applicant’s level of education and contracted salary. The pattern is designed to give priority to high-level foreign workers. Within the new points system is a new emphasis on Chinese language. They not only want high-level employees, they want them to be able to communicate and work using Chinese, and the standard of measure for earning points is the HSK (汉语水平考试).

This article is not about how to earn points from your education, or how to write a contract for a big points earning salary. For most professionals, the level of degree, degree major, work experience, and other qualification factors will already be established. The one place one can set themselves apart for their new employer and potential work visa is with language, and the only way to do that is to pass some level of the HSK.

How the HSK and the points system works

As you can see from the chart below, the HSK can be scheduled and taken throughout the year. Test results are available approximately 16 days after the computer version and one month for the paper-based version.

The HSK points system is based on which test is passed from HSK 1 to HSK 6. For work purposes, passing HSK 1 equals a 2 point credit, which then increases by 2 points for each level to a maximum of 10 points for passing HSK 5 or 6.

Passing the HSK

There are many different approaches that can be taken in preparation for the HSK, including everything from self-study to group classes to 1on1 classes. For many the most efficient and the quickest route to earning HSK points is through either small group or 1on1 tuition. There are many programs available, but this article is intended to focus on the 1on1 and small group method. Below is a chart that indicates the number of class hours required to move from one HSK language level to the next in either a small group or 1-on-1 tuition context.

You can see from the chart what is required to move up from one level to the next and how the required vocabulary and classes increase as the HSK level increases. This chart does not of course take into account factors such as age, aptitude, commitment level, etc., which can impact the number of class hours required to reach the language level each HSK is testing for.

There are also test prep courses available at schools such as my own (www.1on1mandarin.com) that have been developed strictly for test preparation, which you can see from our chart below.

These courses are intended specifically for test preparation. For example, if you’ve already studied Chinese, and feel confident that your language level is up to HSK 5, but have no test experience or just want to brush up and prepare in such a way you can test with confidence, then these types of courses can prove very helpful.

In the end, any individual’s aptitude, career goals and ambition will determine how far they can go with their Chinese and how far up the HSK points ladder they can climb. Other external factors of influence include the quality of one’s teacher, study materials, and preparation.

So if you want to set yourself apart and meet China’s increasingly stringent standards for Employment, then the HSK must be considered. It also must be realized that any individual’s quality of life and work in China will increase exponentially with one’s language level and understanding of the culture.

Maybe it’s time to make HSK prep a priority for your life and career in China. Thanks for visiting our blog: http://blog.1on1mandarin.com