1. What does the regulation "Two-permits Integration" of foreigner’s work permit mean?

 The State Council Review & Revision Office officially replied to the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security & the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs on December 30, 2015 with“The Opinion Letter on Affairs of Integrating Foreigners’ Work Permits in China” (Review & Revision Office [2015] No. 95) ,from which the authority agrees to integrate the “Foreigner’s Employment Permit in China” and “Foreign Expert’s Work Permit in China” into “Foreigner’s Work Permit”. The State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs takes charge of implementation of the work permit.

  For a foreigner who applies for working in China for more than 90 days, the regulation "Two-permits Integration" unifies the original "Foreign Expert’s Work Permit" and "Foreigner’s Employment License" as "Notice of Work Permit for Foreigner" which is handled in electronic form. The employer and applicant can print it online. The original "Foreign Expert Certificate" and "Foreigner’s Employment Permit" are unified as "Foreigner’s Work Permit". The "Foreigner’s Work Permit" is the only lawful document for foreigners working in China.

  For a foreigner who applies for working in China for less than 90 days (including 90 days), he/she should apply for the foreigner’s work permit or the invitation letter for inviting foreign experts to China.

 

2. What are the application requirements of foreigner’s work permit?

(1) Basic requirements for the employer

  The employer should be established in accordance with the law and has no any record of serious illegal and dishonest acts. The posts used to hire foreigners should have special needs. There should be a temporary shortage of suitable candidates for these posts within China. The employments should not violate the relevant provisions of the law. The wages and salaries paid to the foreigner employees must not be lower than the local minimum standard. The employments, which are stipulated by laws and regulations that require the industry competent departments to make the prior approvals, must get approved.

(2) Basic requirements of the applicant

  The applicant should be at least 18 years of age, healthy, no criminal record, with the professional skills or appropriate level of knowledge necessary to perform their work and should be certainly accepted by a employer within territory.The works undertaken by foreigners should be in line with the demands of China's economic and social development. The employed foreigners should be the professionals being in shortage within China. In case laws and regulations provide other provisions for foreigners working in China, the other provisions shall prevail.

3. What is the specific procedure for employer to hire foreigner to work in China (working for more than 90 days)?

(1) The employer or commissioned special agency registers  account in the service system for foreigners working in China, submits the permit application online, and prints out the “Notice of Work Permit for Foreigner” online after approval.

(2) Foreigner goes to the abroad-based embassy and consulate of the People's Republic of China to apply for the Z type visa or F type visa or R type visa with the "Notice of Work Permit for Foreigner" and other required materials.

(3) Within 15 days after the foreigner entering China with a valid visa, the employer applies for the “Foreigner’s Work Permit” online and goes to the local management department to obtain the permit.

(4) Within 30 days after entering China with a valid visa, the foreigner must go to the local Entry-exit Administration of the Public Security Bureau of which the employer is within the jurisdiction to apply for the working residence permit.

 

4. What kinds of supporting documents is a foreigner required to submit for applying for a foreigner's work permit (working for more than 90 days)?

 The application form of foreigner's work permit,the certificate of working qualification, the highest academic certificate or relevant approval documents, the professional qualification certificate, the no criminal record certificate, the certificate of physical examination, the employment contract or employment certificate (including multinational company dispatch letter) and so on.

5. What kinds of supporting documents is a foreigner required to submit for applying for a foreigner's work permit for less than 90 days (including 90 days)? What is the specific procedure?

 The application form of foreigner's work permit or the invitation letter for inviting foreign experts to China, the cost arrangement for inviting the foreigners, the no-criminal record document committed by the applicant himself/herself, the work contract, project contract, cooperation agreement or the explanation of invitation from the inviting party. The cost arrangement for inviting foreigners shall be indicated. The authenticity of the invitation shall be promised. And the payment for the foreigner's expenses in China shall be guaranteed.

  The material-receiving agency shall pre-review and accept the materials submitted online within 5 working days from the date of submission of the materials (not including the date on which the materials are submitted). If the materials are complete and meet the requirements, they shall be accepted and the acceptance notice shall be generated online. After the online acceptance of materials, the decision-making agency shall review and make the decision within 5 working days from the date of acceptance. For the application for a foreigner's work permit (less than 90 days but including 90 days) and its submitted materials meeting the conditions and standards, the decision-making agency should make the administrative approval decision and the "Notice of Work Permit for Foreigner" should be generated online. For the application for the invitation letter for inviting foreign experts to China, the applicant shall go to the issuing-agency to receive the invitation paper and the whole process is processed online, no need to submit paper materials for verification.

6. Under what circumstances can a foreigner apply for a foreigner's work permit (working for more than 90 days)? What kinds of materials should be submitted? What is the specific procedure?

(1) The foreign high-end talents (Class A) who have entered into China with other visas or valid residence permits;

(2) The foreigner who have worked in China and changed the employer, but without change of the job position (occupation), and whose working residence permit is within the validity period;

(3) The foreign spouse or children of a Chinese national or the spouse or children of a foreigner who permanently resides or works in China with a valid visa or a residence permit within the validity period;

(4)  The employer complying with the relevant preferential policies for the free trade zone and the comprehensive innovation reform pilot zone;

(5) The employer complying with the preferential policies for the regional headquarters of multinational firms in China;

(6) The foreigner under the flow of personnel within the enterprise group;

(7) The foreigner under the implementation of an intergovernmental agreements;

(8) Representatives of institutions stationed in China who have entered into China legally with a work visa; those who have obtained the foreigner’s work permits for less than 90 days and are employed by the domestic employers in accordance with the law during their legally stay;

(9) Those affirmed by other examination and approval agencies as having met the requirements.

 The inbound foreigner applying for a foreigner's work permit (working for more than 90 days), if approved, can directly obtain the “Foreigner Work Permit”. Before the expiration of a valid visa or residence permit, he/she must go to the local Entry-exit Administration of the Public Security Bureau of which the employer is within the jurisdiction to apply for the working residence permit

7. What are the convenience measures for foreign high-end talent (Class A) to apply for the foreigner's work permit?
(1) For the foreign high-end talent, his/her materials that had been pre-reviewed online by material-receiving agency can be accepted directly. The electronic receipt of acceptance will be offered to applicant. And applicant is not required to provide paper materials for verification prior to entry;

(2) For the foreign high-end talent selected for the relevant domestic talents plans, the whole process can be processed online, no need to submit paper materials for verification;

(3) For the foreign high-end talent (Class A)  (1) selected for the relevant domestic talent plan or (2) meeting the internationally recognized standards for professional achievement, in line with the "Classification Standards for Foreigners Working in China" , his/her work qualification certificate can be handled with commitment-style;

(4) For the foreign high-end talent (Class A) (1) selected for the relevant domestic talent plan; (2) meeting the internationally recognized standards for professional achievement; (3) meeting the demands for market-oriented encouraging posts; (4) recognized as innovative and entrepreneurial talents, in line with the "Classification Standard for Foreigners Working in China" , his/her highest academic certificate can be handled with commitment-style;

(5) For the foreign high-end talent, his/her proof of non-criminal record can be handled with commitment-style;

(6) For the foreign high-end talent entering into China with other visas or valid residence permit, he/she can apply for a foreigner's work permit;

(7) For the foreign high-end talent applying for the foreigner's work permit  or extension or cancellation of foreigner's work permit, the decision-making agency shall review and make a decision within 5 working days.

(8) For the foreign high-end talent applying to work in China for less than 90 days,he/her can apply for the invitation letter for inviting foreign experts to China, and other foreign experts can join him/her. After obtaining invitation letter,he/she can apply for an F-type visa allowed for multiple times’ entry & exit. No need to apply for a working residence permit one more time after he re-enter the country.

(9) For the foreign high-end talent, the foreigner's work permit with the maximum period of 5 years can be rendered .

 

8. Is it still necessary for a foreigner who have obtained the “Notice of Work Permit for Foreigner” to apply for an invitation letter or an invitation confirmation letter as he goes to the abroad-based embassies and consulates to apply for the visa?

  According to the “Decision on Amendment of the Regulations on the Employment Management of Foreigners in China” (Decree No. 32) issued by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security on March 3, 2017, after obtaining the “Notice of Work Permit for Foreigner”, foreigner is no need to go to the authorized unit to apply for the invitation letter or the invitation confirmation letter.

9. What basic information should be provided for verification over the inquires about foreigner's work permit through channels such as 12333 and the Internet, which need to be transferred to the functional department for further processing?

 The foreigner's working permit involves many departments such as diplomacy, public security, industry and commerce, taxation, and social security. It is directly related to national security and local stability. In order to verify the work information in a timely manner, to solve the difficult problems in the consultation and acceptance work, to improve the service quality, to establish and improve the credit evaluation mechanism of the employer, those who inquire the relevant issues shall provide the real and complete information such as employer's name, business application code, inquirer's name, ID card number, the relationship between the inquirer the employer.

10. What can applicant do as he/she click the "Upload Image" button but the window for image-selection isn’t popped up during his/her information-filling procedure?

(1) Check if there is an icon with a small red window on the far right side of the address bar 

(2) If the icon appears: Click the icon to pop up a dialog box, tick the first option in the dialog box, next click the “Finish” button, then click “Upload picture” button to complete the uploading.

 

11. Is there any matter should be paid much attention on over the employment contract or certificate of employment (including the letter of dispatch from a multinational firm)?

  The employment contract or employment certificate (including the multinational company dispatch letter) should include the working hours, working place, working content, salary, post, signature and stamp page. Any general employer applies for the work permit should provide the employment contract. For the usage of the employment certificate, please refer to the remarks on the contract page-10 of ([2017] No. 36 Document Issued by the State Bureau of Foreign Experts Affairs).

 

12. Which countries and regions are using English as their mother tongue or primary language?

 Ascension Island, Australia, Bermudas, British Antarctic Territory, British Indian Ocean Territory, Canada, Falkland Islands (Malvinas), Gibraltar, Guernsey, Guyana (formerly British Guyana) , Ireland, Isle of Man (British Irish Sea Territory), Jersey, New Zealand, Pitcairn Islands, Singapore, South Africa, Akrotiri of Cyprus and the British region of Dhekelia, South Georgia and South Sang Wichi Islands, St. Helena, Tristan da Cunha, United Kingdom, United States, US Virgin Islands, Antigua and Barbuda, Anguilla, Bahamas, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, British Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands.