Policies implemented to attract overseas students and entrepreneurs, Wang Hongyi reports.

Shanghai recently unveiled a series of new policies aimed at attracting talented professionals from overseas, as the city looks to become a global technological innovation hub by 2030.

A 10-article immigration policy was approved by the Ministry of Public Security to support Shanghai in achieving such an ambitious goal. It was implemented in December 2016.

According to the 10-article immigration policy, high-level overseas professionals in Shanghai will have easier access and require less time to apply for permanent residency in the country.

For example, expats who are working at the Shanghai Zhangjiang National Innovation Demonstration Zone or the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone can apply for permanent residency with a recommendation from the enterprises or organizations for which they work.

The application's approval turnaround time period was shortened from six months to just 50 working days.

Chinese professionals who have overseas passports, as well as a doctoral degree or four years of experience in enterprises in Zhangjiang, the free trade zone or other qualified areas, can directly apply for permanent residency without a recommendation.

The new policies also lowered barriers for foreign investors hoping to apply for permanent residency. With total investment of up to $1 million and good tax records for three years, expats can directly apply for permanent residency.

Ding Feiping, head of the Shanghai Exit-Entry Administration Bureau, said one of the new features of the policies is the benefit of allowing family members of expat professionals to live, work or study in the city.

According to the 10-article policy, high-level overseas professionals, along with their spouses, children or even their home nurses, can directly apply for permanent residency. They will no longer need to provide various certificates and spend a long time applying for residency. Ji Minghua, vice-president of Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation, said the new policies are a new advantage in the race to attract professionals. Headquartered in Shanghai, SMIC is one of the world’s leading semiconductor foundries, providing integrated circuit foundry services.

Each year, the company seeks high-level professionals from all over the world. Ji told Chinese media that they have told potential candidates who are still hesitating that the new preferential policies share the benefits and convenience with their families.

Expats with a master’s degree or higher, or those who have been employed by an enterprise in Zhangjiang’s industrial parks, the free trade zone or other qualified areas in the city, can directly apply for an R visa for professionals at the Shanghai port upon entry. R visas are issued to highly skilled and specialized foreign professionals who need to stay in China. The new policy ensures they can receive the visa quicker, as long as they can provide employment certificates.

“This fast assessment policy has helped enterprises to solve a lot of real difficulties. In the past, it would take at least two months for foreign staff to receive a working visa, which would often impact our work schedule, especially for certain specialized positions,” said Wang Erya, an HR representative from Shanghai Rongwei Plastic Industry Co, located in Zhangjiang’s Jiading park.

The company has recruited a foreign management specialist to be in charge of the company’s sales work, requiring frequent business trips. With the simplified policy, the foreign manager soon received the R visa and smoothly carried out her work.

“The current policies shorten the process and offer a lot of convenience to enterprises,” she said.

In recent years, the Zhangjiang National Innovation Demonstration Zone has worked with the Ministry of Public Security to launch a series of policies to encourage more high-level overseas professionals to contribute to the city’s development.

The administrative management committee said they have been exploring more effective measures to provide more convenience to high-level overseas professionals and their families’ work and life in the city.

The Shanghai Zhangjiang National Innovation Demonstration Zone has issued new policies to attract overseas professionals. PHOTOS PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY

The Zhangjiang entrepreneurship incubation base for overseas experts hosts a meeting with Huangpu Park in the Zhangjiang National Innovation Demonstration Zone to attract high-level professionals.