Finishing my Master's soon – realistic to land a job in China without speaking Chinese?
Hey everyone,
Finishing my M.Sc. in Software Engineering (Oct 2026) in Germany and considering a move to China. Currently learning Mandarin but nowhere near conversational yet — trying to figure out which path is realistic.
1) Hospitality (Service/Bar)
I co-founded and run a restaurant/bar in Germany, so solid hands-on F&B/guest service experience. Applying to international hotel chains for Service/Bar/All Day Dining roles. Is English really enough on the floor, or is Chinese basically required once you're dealing with local staff/guests/suppliers?
2) Software Engineering
5 years as a working student/software engineer alongside my degree (industrial automation, computer vision). Applying to a few China-based companies for engineering roles. Does internal communication in foreign-owned companies stay English, or is it Chinese-heavy in practice?
Main question: Has anyone here gotten hired into hospitality or engineering/IT in China with just English? How steep was the curve once actually working there, and did lack of language cause visa/work issues?
Also — if anyone has recommendations on where to look (specific companies, cities, or job boards) known to be more open to non-Chinese speakers, I'd appreciate the pointers.
Trying to gauge if this is realistic or naive. Any first-hand experience appreciated!