Amy Johnson from the United States teaches at Telford Bilingual and International Kindergarten in Beijing. (File Photo)

    BEIJING, Jun 6 -- Soon after Amy Johnson graduated with a degree in education, she left Louisiana to teach English in a small town in Harbin, in Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. It seemed like a good way to use her degree, live in a foreign country and make a living at the same time.

    Her motivation to settle in China was simple: live in a rich culture with an ancient history and strong economy. But while the 24-year-old's degree gave her an edge in the classroom, this isn't necessarily the case for the endless stream of foreigners flocking to China as English teachers.

    "I think it's probably the easiest job for a foreigner to get, especially since everyone in Beijing is trying to learn English with the Olympics coming," said Johnson, who now teaches at Telford Bilingual and International Kindergarten in Beijing. "Even if I quit my job today, I think I could find another job at the end of the day."

    The wide availability of jobs across China usually means that anyone - even those without teaching experience, training or a degree in a related field - could find a school or recruiter to make them an offer. Consequently, some foreign language experts and observers believe the industry is in critical need of government intervention to impose a minimum standard for foreign English teachers. The goal, they say, is to revamp the qualification process so that foreigners aren't hired solely because they're native English speakers.

    However, the government is now encouraging everyone from taxi drivers to government officials to take English lessons in preparation for the estimated 500,000 foreigners expected to arrive in Beijing for next year's Olympic Games. But such official nudging isn't necessary to push the millions of Chinese students now paying exorbitant fees to learn English, usually in hopes of winning high-paying jobs with international firms.

    There are no reliable statistics, but some published reports put the number of foreign teachers across China in the thousands. Most come from the United States, Canada, Britain and Australia.

    Critics say most teachers are dedicated, career-oriented and experienced, but the growing industry could become disreputable unless it's standardized. And English teachers have become the subject of hot debate on websites and blogs and among college instructors and Chinese students.

    "They come to China for something else, not to teach," said Niu Qiang, a visiting professor of the English Department at Changchun University in Jilin Province, who has written about the lack of standards for foreign teachers. "We should rule out or scrutinize those unqualified teachers."

    So, what do they come for, if it's not for teaching?

    Niu said teachers are often too young and inexperienced, or they're retirees looking for an easy time in China. And she also dislikes the reputations of many male foreign teachers outside of the classroom.

    "They're not influencing young people in a good way - especially in Shanghai and Beijing," she said. "They have very loose lifestyles with females all the time. They frequently change girlfriends, and it's not good for China, socially."

    At the same time, Niu said that schools in China aren't yet in a position to pick and choose among applicants, because there's such a huge demand. Teachers could find jobs in a variety of private and public schools from the elementary to college levels.

    Experience is not always a requirement, but most ask for a bachelor's degree and offer higher salaries to experienced teachers.

    In addition, those who sit through a short-term Teaching English as a Second Language (TEFL) course can demand higher wages, while the best-paid work at international schools in major cities.