Eligibility

1. Foreigners who are 18 years old or above and healthy, do not have a criminal record, have an employer and necessary professional skills or knowledge required for the employment

2. Foreigners who are in the industry needed for China's economic and social development, and are professionals urgently needed

3. The laws and regulations on the employment of foreigners in China shall prevail.

4. High-end foreign talents (Category A) who hold any other types of visas or valid residence permits.

5. High-end foreign talents refer to the high-grade, top-notch, and sought-after foreign talents such as scientists, technology leaders, international entrepreneurs, and specialized talents who are urgently needed for China's economic and social development. There is no limits on age, education background, and work experience for the high-end foreign talents (Category A). For more information about the Evaluation Criteria for Foreigners Employed in China (Trial), please visit http://fwp.safea.gov.cn/ 

Basic Documents

► Application Form for Foreigners Work Permit: Fill in the online application - print it out - send to the applicant for signing (send copy or fax if needed) - stamp it with the employer's seal - upload it to the system. The employer's official seal includes the seal of legal name, and the business-purpose official seals of the foreign affairs institution, personnel institution and labour contract authorized for filing and registration in the system.

► Passport or international travel certificate: Information page of the passport or of the international travel certificate. The valid period of the passport shall be no less than six months. 

► Applicant's valid visa or residence permit: Visa page, latest entry signature page, or the information page of the residence permit of the passport (or of the international travel certificate).

► Employment contract or employment certificate: The submitted contract shall be in Chinese, signed by the applicant and stamped by the employer. No handwritten alteration is allowed. The employment contract or employment certificate (including the dispatch letter of a multinational corporation) shall contain such essential information as work place, job responsibilities, payment, work duration in China, and position, and page of seal (signature). The employment certificate shall apply to performers of intergovernmental or international agreements, chief representatives and representatives of various representative offices in China, and overseas contract service providers. The dispatch letter shall apply to senior executives such as managers and technical professionals dispatched from their overseas headquarters or regional headquarters of multinational corporations to subsidiaries or branches in China, and shall be issued by the headquarters or regional headquarters of multinational corporations. In case any essential content is missing in the employment certificate (including the dispatch letter), a separate certificate shall be provided. In case the dispatch of senior executives and technical professionals dispatched from their regional headquarters of multinational corporations in China to subsidiaries or branches in China, the dispatch letter and the employment contract signed with the regional headquarters of multinational corporations in China shall be provided. 

► Certificate of physical examination: A certificate of verification on physical examination record for foreigners or a certificate of health examination issued within six months by China's inspection and quarantine authority shall be provided. 

► Identification Documents as a Foreign Talent: Provide the required credentials according to the Classification Criteria for Foreigners Working in China (Trial). 

Applicants ranked up to High-Level Foreign Talents through the scoring system still must provide the corresponding annual salary (when it is the first instance of work permit application, a letter of commitment on annual salary should be submitted. When it comes to renewal or cancellation, a corresponding individual income tax record and a screenshot of a list of details about individual tax payments of the natural person should be submitted) (affixed with an official seal), the highest degree (academic qualification) certificate obtained, vocational qualifications, years working, annual working hours, Chinese proficiency certificate (HSK Chinese Proficiency Test Certificate), work experience in the world's top 500 companies, patents, etc.

► The highest degree (academic qualification) certificate and certification documents: If the highest degree (qualification) is issued by a foreign university, it shall be certified by a Chinese embassy or consulate in the related country, that country's embassy or consulate in China, or a Chinese academic certification institution; if the highest degree (qualification) is issued in Hong Kong, Macao or Taiwan, it shall be certified by a Chinese academic certification institution or notarized by the local notary office; if the highest degree (qualification) is issued in China's mainland, only the original degree (qualification) certificate shall be provided. For pre-approval by the industry competent authority by law or qualified access professional qualifications, an approval document issued by the industry competent authority or a professional qualification certificate shall be submitted.

► Certifying documents on working qualifications

A certificate of work experience related to the current employment issued by the former employer of the Applicant, including his/her position, service duration and the projects he served for; it shall be affixed with the former employer's official seal or signed by the person in charge, and a valid contact number or e-mail with a contact person shall be reserved to facilitate verification.

► Other materials.

Steps

1. All paper materials and Chinese translations must be All paper materials and Chinese translations thereof must be uploaded in original color to the service system for foreigners working in China

All non-Chinese certification materials submitted must be provided along with Chinese translations and stamped with the official seal of the employer (except for passport or international travel certificates). The reception authority or the decision-making authority may request the employer to submit a corrected version if there are any discrepancies between the Chinese translation and the original.

2. After obtaining preapproval, foreign high-end talents (Class A) can bring all original materials to the corresponding windows without appointment. High-Level Foreign Talents (Persons selected to be included in the Domestic Talent Introduction Program) can apply for a work permit online.

Notes

1. Certificate of no criminal record and certification documents: For Foreign High-End Talents (Category A), the commitment system shall be adopted.

2. The candidate of the Domestic Talent Introduction Program shall submit relevant certificates and testimonials, or the testimonials for including the candidate in the Program.

3. "Approval documents issued by the responsible professional department" include representative certificates, physicians' medical licenses, short-term medical licenses, employment cards, and receipt forms for the temporary activities of NGOs abroad. "Professional qualification certificates" include chefs' certificates, athletic coaches' certificates, etc.