How Foreigners Apply for Working Visas in China

In recent years, a lot of enterprises in China start to speed up their process of transformation and upgrade, thus requiring more and more high-end talents from different countries. It should be noted that working visas must be secured for foreign employees working in China; otherwise, the employers will be held liable for such employment treated as illegal.

Application Criteria

According to the existing regulations regarding the working visa, foreigners applying for working visas in China must meet the following conditions:

• • At least 18 years old and healthy
• • No criminal records
• • Have relevant professional skills and working experience
• • Confirmed employment
• • Have passports or other international travel documents

Application Procedure

As China is gradually integrated with the whole world, the visa application procedure has been simplified in recent years.

The following describes the working visa application procedure in China:

Required Documents

The procedure of applying for working visa involves foreign labour services and requires professional knowledge. Enterprises can apply for working visas either by themselves, or through professional agents.

Regardless of the application method, enterprises must provide the following documents:

• • Foreigner employment application form;
• • Employment Intention Letter and labour contract;
• • Report on Cause of Employment;
• • Original and copy of the business license or registration certificate of the employer or related organisation;
• • Last year's tax certificate of the employer or related organisation;
• • A copy of the company’s articles of association and list of the board of directors (if the foreigner is employed as the general manager or vice general manager); and
• • Documents of the foreigner to be employed (including the resume, health certificate, temporary residence registration in China, recent photo, qualifications of the job, and passport or other international travel documents), and other documents specified by laws or regulations.

Note that the maximum validity period of the Foreigner Work Permit is five years. If the validity period exceeds one year, the enterprise should arrange the annual inspection of the work permit for its foreign employee within thirty days prior to the end of every year of employment of the foreigner.