As of Dec 1, China has combined foreign workers' work permits with social security cards, offering them greater convenience and more efficient services.
To facilitate understanding of the new policy, Shanghai's Jiading district held a training session on Dec 20 at the Jiading Talent Hub for relevant units. A Q&A session allowed attendees to ask questions and receive professional answers.
With the new policy, physical work permits will no longer be issued. Instead, work permit numbers and related information will be included in electronic social security cards. "This innovative measure simplifies the application process and improves service efficiency, making it more convenient for foreigners to work and live in China," said Zhang Yun, deputy director of the International Exchange Office at Shanghai Normal University Tianhua College.
Wang Lu from the district's talent service center clarified that the procedure for applying for a work permit within China remains unchanged. For those applying from abroad, after obtaining the "Notification Letter of Foreigner's Work Permit" and entering China with a work visa, the applicant must have their employer submit all original application materials for verification at the designated service window within one month.
Yi Cuiyu, a talent liaison officer from Jiading's Anting town, praised the training. "This session provided timely answers to our questions. I believe our future work will go much more smoothly," she said.
Jiading district has been optimizing approval processes, aligning with the "single window" approach for work and residence permits for foreigners. This year, Jiading processed around 2,000 foreign work permit applications with an approval rate exceeding 96 percent.