China High-level Talent Immigration

With the deepening of globalization, China has adopted a more open and flexible policy in attracting international high-end talents. In order to promote scientific and technological innovation, economic development and social progress, the Chinese government has continuously optimized the mechanism for introducing foreign senior talents, especially in high-tech fields and key scientific research projects, and provided more support and protection for foreign experts and senior talents. For foreigners who have made significant contributions in China and have outstanding professional capabilities in related fields, the government provides the opportunity to apply for permanent residence. This policy can not only provide a more stable living and working environment for foreign talents, but also help enhance China’s attractiveness in the global talent competition.

Who can apply?
1. Senior talents who have made significant and outstanding contributions to China and are urgently needed by China

2. Served as deputy general manager, deputy factory director or above, associate professor, associate researcher and other positions for more than four consecutive years, and the cumulative service period is not less than three years, with a good tax record; the unit or company where the senior talent works must meet one of the following conditions: 1. Departments of the State Council and institutions affiliated to provincial people’s governments; 2. Key colleges and universities; 3. Enterprises and institutions implementing major national engineering projects and major scientific research projects; 4. High-tech enterprises, encouraged foreign-invested enterprises, foreign-invested advanced technology enterprises or foreign-invested product export enterprises.

Important materials:

1. Position or title certificate issued by the employer of the employed personnel;

2. Foreign expert certificate or foreign employment certificate;

3. Registration certificate, annual inspection certificate and personal tax payment certificate of the employer; if the employer is a foreign-invested enterprise, the approval certificate of the foreign-invested enterprise and the combined annual inspection certificate shall also be provided;

4. Personnel of enterprises and institutions implementing major national engineering projects and scientific and technological projects shall provide project certification documents issued by the provincial people’s government or the competent departments of the ministries and commissions; personnel of high-tech enterprises shall provide high-tech enterprise certificates; personnel of encouraged foreign-invested enterprises, foreign-invested advanced technology enterprises and foreign-invested product export enterprises shall provide confirmation letters of encouraged foreign-invested projects, confirmation letters of foreign-invested advanced technology enterprises, or confirmation letters of foreign-invested product export enterprises.

Permanent Residence Application for Chinese High-level Talents

Applicants must abide by Chinese laws, be in good health, have no criminal record, fill out the application form for permanent residence in China for foreigners, and submit the following materials:
1. A valid foreign passport or a document that can replace a passport;
2. A health certificate issued by a health inspection and quarantine agency designated by the Chinese government or a foreign health and medical institution recognized by Chinese embassies and consulates abroad;
3. A certificate of no criminal record abroad recognized by Chinese embassies and consulates abroad;
4. Four sets of the latest 2-inch front-facing barehead color photos;
5. Other relevant materials.

Note:

1. The applicant’s spouse and unmarried children under the age of 18, if they are spouses, should provide a marriage certificate when applying; if they are unmarried children under the age of 18, they should provide their birth certificate or parent-child relationship certificate; if they are adopted, they should provide an adoption certificate. The certificate or proof issued by the relevant foreign institutions shall be recognized by our embassy or consulate in the country or region

2. Foreigners applying for permanent residence in China shall apply to the public security organ of the municipal people’s government or the public security sub-bureau of the municipality directly under the Central Government or the county-level bureau of the main investment place or long-term residence place by the applicant or the applicant’s parents who are unmarried and under the age of 18 or the person who accepts the application on behalf of the applicant.

3. If the application is entrusted to another person, a power of attorney issued by the applicant shall be provided. The power of attorney applied for abroad shall be authenticated by our embassy or consulate in the country or region.

4. The public security organ shall make a decision on whether to approve the application for permanent residence in China submitted by a foreigner within six months from the date of receipt of the application.

5. Foreigners who have obtained permanent residence in China shall be issued a foreigner permanent residence permit by the Ministry of Public Security. If the applicant is abroad, the Ministry of Public Security shall issue a foreigner permanent residence confirmation form. The applicant shall apply for a D visa at the Chinese embassy or consulate abroad with the foreigner permanent residence confirmation form, and obtain the foreigner permanent residence permit from the public security organ that accepted the application within 30 days after entry.

6. Foreigners who have obtained permanent residence in China shall stay in China for more than three months each year; if they cannot meet the cumulative residence requirements in China each year due to actual needs, they must obtain approval from the public security organs of the province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government where they have permanent residence, but the cumulative number of residences in China within five years shall not be less than one year.

7. The validity period of a foreigner’s permanent residence permit is five years or ten years. Foreigners under the age of 18 who are approved for permanent residence in China shall be issued a foreigner’s permanent residence permit with a validity period of five years. Foreigners over the age of 18 who are approved for permanent residence in China shall be issued a foreigner’s permanent residence permit with a validity period of ten years.

8. If the validity period of a foreigner’s permanent residence permit expires, the matters of the foreigner’s permanent residence permit change, or the foreigner’s permanent residence permit is lost or damaged, the holder shall apply to the public security organ of the municipal people’s government where the permanent residence is located, or the municipal public security sub-bureau or county-level bureau for replacement or reissue of the certificate. If the public security organ believes that the holder has not lost the qualification for permanent residence in China, the certificate shall be replaced or reissued within one month.

9. Foreigners holding permanent residence permits for foreigners shall apply for a replacement of their permits one month before the expiration of the permit. If the contents of the permit change, the applicant shall apply for a change or replacement within one month from the date of the change. If the permit is damaged or lost, the applicant shall apply for a replacement or change in a timely manner.

10. Foreigners who have permanently resided in China shall have their permanent residence in China revoked or their permanent residence permits declared invalid by the Ministry of Public Security if they meet any of the following circumstances:

1. Those who may cause harm to national security and interests;

2. Those who have been sentenced to deportation by the People’s Court;

3. Those who have obtained permanent residence in China by illegal means such as providing false materials;

4. Those who have resided in China for less than 3 months in a year or less than 1 year in a year without permission.