Item
Applying for the Foreigner's Work Permit of the People’s Republic of China
Scope of Application
1. The applicant with qualified professional skills or knowledge shall have a certain clearly-defined employer in China and shall be at least 18 years old in good health and without a criminal record.
2. The applicant shall satisfy the demands of economic and social development in China and be
3. If the laws and regulations provide otherwise for the entry of foreigners to work in China, such provisions shall apply.
4. Foreigners working in China who change employers without changing jobs (occupations) and whose work permits are within the validity periods.
Required Materials
1. The application form for permission for foreigners to work in China shall be filled out online and then printed out, signed by the applicant (photocopy or fax), and uploaded to the system with the official seal of the employer or the official seal of the authorized department of the employer. Original (1 paper/electronic copy). Note: The official seal of the employer shall include the official name seal, as well as the official seal of the foreign affairs, personnel agency and labor contract business that has been registered in the authorization record of the system.
2. Contract of employment or proof of employment (including letter of assignment from a transnational corporation). The contract shall be provided in Chinese and shall be signed by the applicant and affixed with the official seal of the employer, and shall not be altered. The representative agency shall upload its representative certificate. Original copy/duplicated copy (1 paper/electronic copy).
Note: The employment contract or certificate of employment (including the letter of assignment from a multinational company) shall include the required information about the workplace, job content, salary, working hours, position in China as well as the stamp page (signature). The certificate of employment shall apply to personnel engaged in the implementation of agreements or arrangements between/among governments, international organizations, chief representatives and representatives of various types of representative offices in China as well as offshore contractual service providers. The letter of assignment shall apply when the headquarters or regional headquarters of a multinational corporation dispatches senior management and professional and technical personnel, such as managers, from abroad to work in its domestic subsidiaries or branches, and shall be issued by the headquarters or regional headquarters of such multinational corporation. Should the certificate of employment (including the letter of assignment) lack the necessary contents, a separate certificate shall be issued as a supplement (with the official seal). In case of assignment of senior management personnel such as managers and professional technicians by the headquarters of a multinational corporation in China to a domestic subsidiary or branch office, a letter of assignment and an employment contract signed with the headquarters of the multinational corporation in China shall be submitted.
3. The information page of the applicant's passport. Original (1 paper/electronic copy). Note: The remaining validity of the passport shall not be less than six months.
4. Information page on the valid work residence permit within the period of validity held by the applicant. Original copy/duplicated copy (1 paper/electronic copy).
5. Frontal bareheaded photo of the applicant taken within 6 months: Recent bareheaded digital photo, white background, no borders, complete facial features, clear image, without spots, blemishes or printing ink defects. JPG format, size between 40K-120k bytes, not less than 354 (W) × 472 (H) pixels, not more than 420 (W)×560 (H) pixels, 24 true colors. Original (1 electronic copy). Note: Ornaments such as hats or headscarves are not recommended, and if it is necessary for religious reasons, please ensure that they do not obscure the entire face of the applicant.
6. Proof of cancellation of the work permit that was once held for the validity period. Original (1 paper/electronic copy).
7. Other materials.
Material Standards
1. All original paper documents and Chinese translations shall be uploaded electronically in colors into the application system.
2. All supporting documents that are not in Chinese shall be translated into Chinese and affixed with the official seal of the employer (except for passport or international travel document). 1. Should the accepting or deciding body consider that the translations are seriously inconsistent with the originals, it may request the employer to provide them again.
3. All original documents shall be submitted to the reception window for verification, of which employment contracts, employment certificates (including letters of assignment from a multinational company), representative cards, and supporting documents for high-level talents (Type A) can be verified on site and then photocopies can be submitted (with official seals).
4. After passing the online pre-qualification, please make an appointment in the system, and bring the appointment certificate and related materials to the site for further procedures. No appointment is required for foreign high-end talents (Type A), who can bring related documents directly to the site for processing. And foreign high-end talents qualified in related programs (Type A) is totally processed online.
Notes:
1. Foreigners working in China with changed employers shall cancel their current work permits first. Upon cancellation of the original work permit, an application for a new work permit shall be submitted within 90 days from the date of obtaining the certificate of cancellation.
2. If the position applied for is the same as the original work permit approved for employment, supporting documents of work experience are not required. Those who change to a new position (occupation) shall cancel the existing work permit and apply for a new Foreigner's Work Permit in China.
3. In principle, applicants who have already obtained a Foreigner's Work Permit are not required to submit their highest degree (diploma) when they apply again (the system history is available). Those who have not moved to the city with a Foreigner's Work Permit shall provide an original degree certificate, a photocopy and a translation (with official seals).
4. If the position (job) applied for is different from the original work permit approved for employment for the high-end foreign talents (Type A), supporting documents of work experience are not required.
5. If the laws and regulations of China stipulate that the competent department of the industry shall give pre-approval or shall have the corresponding occupational qualification for admission in China, the approval instrument of the competent department of the industry or proof of occupational qualification shall also be provided.
6. In case of a change of nationality, a new application shall be made for a foreigner's work permit in China.
7. Foreign language teaching staff. In principle, foreign language teaching staff shall be engaged in the teaching of their mother tongue, have a university degree or higher and have at least two years' experience in language teaching. The work experience requirement may be exempted for those who have obtained a bachelor's degree or higher in education, language or teacher training, or who have obtained a teaching certificate in their country of residence or a certificate in teaching an international language that meets the requirements (the certificate shall be certified).
8. Internal mobility of personnel in the regional headquarters of a multinational corporation in China and its enterprise groups shall refer to the mobility of senior managers and professional and technical personnel employed by the multinational corporation in its regional headquarters or enterprise groups in China to the same positions between the regional headquarters and its wholly-owned or joint-venture branches and subsidiaries (between the parent company and its member companies or between member companies) that have been filed with the licensing agency (including transfer to a new position or promotion from a professional to an executive position). Upon cancellation of the original work permit, an application for a new work permit shall be submitted within 30 days from the date of such cancellation, including the application form for permission to work in China for foreigners, employment contract ( letter of assignment), valid residence permit, passport information page and cancellation certificate. In case of a change in position, additional evidence for related work qualification shall be submitted.