On August 19, 2020, according to China.com.cn, in a press conference on further interpretation of Stabilizing the Fundamentals of Foreign Trade and Investment, the Ministry of Commerce indicates that government shall relax the restrictive measures for foreigners in the service field. This includes exploring the integration of work permit and work-type residence permit, so as to better practice the reform, opening up and innovation policies in 28 pilot areas.
What’s to be Reformed
As per Xian Guoyi, director of the Department of Service and Trade of the Ministry of Commerce, these measures can be adopted in pilot areas so that expats can live a more comfortable life in China:
Relax the approval right of foreign children’s schools;
Simplify the approval process of foreign-funded travel agencies;
Expand the scope of qualifications for technology import and export operators;
Set up the permanent representative offices in China of the foreign patent agencies, etc.
Opening Up: Easier for Foreigners to Start Businesses and Work
Per the Ministry of Commerce, in the pilot areas, the foreign service providers will be allowed to enter the Chinese market in more fields, where it is stated that:
Encourage foreign institutions to hold foreign-related economic and technological exhibitions independently;
Support the development of cross-border commercial medical insurance products with foreign institutions;
Relax the restrictive measures in the service field, including exploring the integration of work permit and work-type residence permit for foreigners;
Promoting mutual recognition of professional qualifications;
Allow foreign lawyers be employed as foreign legal advisers on a pilot basis;
Qualified foreigners could be allowed to take the qualification examination for patent agent;
Strengthen international cooperation in education, law, finance and other fields;
Build international service trade cooperation parks.
Innovation: Easier Mobile Payment for Foreigners
The pilot areas should vigorously promote the development of online-teaching, digital services, copyright services, and pharmaceutical R & D, where it is mentioned that a pilot program of digital Chinese yuan shall be put into use so as to make it easier for foreigners to use mobile payment in China.
Per the Ministry of Commerce, the above-mentioned measures will be piloted in 28 areas and then nationwide if work well.
List of 28 Pilot Areas
Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Chongqing, Hainan, Dalian, Xiamen, Qingdao, Shenzhen, Shijiazhuang, Changchun, Harbin, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Hefei, Jinan, Wuhan, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Guiyang, Kunming, Xi’an, Urumqi, Suzhou, Weihai, Xiong’an New Area in Hebei, the New Area between Guiyang and Anshun in Guizhou and Xi Xian New area in Shaanxi.
Chinese embassies in other countries may have similar notices in the near future, so read and know the requirements in advance, prepare for the application.
To facilitate gradually resuming personnel exchanges between China and foreign countries, the Chinese Embassy and Consulates-General in the U.K. are ready to accept visa applications through the Chinese Visa Application Service Centres in London, Manchester and Edinburgh as of Aug 18th 2020 from applicants who intend to travel to China for any of the following purposes.
1. British citizen and applicant from any of the 35 other European countries who is holding a valid Foreigner’s Residence Permit of China for work, private matters or family reunion, and needs to go to China for the same visiting purpose as shown on the Residence Permit;
2. Applicant (including accompanying spouse and children under the age of 18) who does not hold a valid Foreigner’s Residence Permit of China for work, private matters or family reunion, but has an “Invitation Letter (PU/TE)” or “Verification Confirmation of Invitation” issued by the Foreign Affairs Office of the provincial government or the provincial department of commerce of the intended place of visit to visit China for economic, trade, scientific, technological, culture or sport purposes;
3. Applicant (including accompanying spouse and children under the age of 18) who does not hold a valid Foreigner’s Residence Permit of China for work, private matters or family reunion, but has obtained “Notification Letter of Foreigners Work Permit” as well as “Invitation Letter (PU/TE)” or “Verification Confirmation of Invitation” to work in China;
4. Applicant who intends to visit China for the following humanitarian reasons:
A. Applicant intending to visit an immediate family member in China (including parents, spouse, children, grandparents, grandchildren) who is in critical medical condition and in need of care, or arrange funeral matters of an immediate family member in China;
Photocopies of a medical certificate or death certificate, proof of relationships (including birth certificate, marriage certificate, Chinese household registration, certificate letters from the local police bureau in China, notarial certificate of kinship, etc.), and an invitation letter from relatives in China are required.
B. Applicant who is spouse or child under the age of 18 of a Chinese citizen or who holds a valid Chinese Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card, and intends to visit China for family reunion;
An invitation letter and photocopies of the Chinese Identity Card or the Chinese Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card, and proof of relationships are required.
C. Applicant (including accompanying spouse and children under the age of 18) intending to visit China to take care of or support his/her Chinese parents;
An invitation letter from the Chinese parent and photocopies of his/her Chinese Identity Card, and proof of relationships are required.
5. Applicant who qualifies for a crew (C) visa.
Applicants are required to fill in the online application form and make an appointment with the nearest Chinese Visa Application Centre before submitting applications in person on the date of appointment. Minor children under the age of 14 are not required to go to the Visa Centre for biometric information collection.
Visa applications for other visiting purposes which are not included above can not be accepted at the moment.
Please be advised that the above are temporary arrangements and subject to further change. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
35 other European countries
Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Montenegro, Norway, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Poland, Portugal, the Netherlands
Source: Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
If you are considering an internship in China, you will need to think what kind of visa you need to have for the internship. Here we listed 4 types of visas for undergraduates and graduates from local Chinese university or abroad universities to do internship in China.
TYPE 1 – For Fresh Graduates From Local University(Shanghai).
On 17th July 2016, According to the new policy from Shanghai Labor Bureau, for the new working visa application, the students are request to provide original 2+ years working reference letter instead of the copy. On 1st May 2016, to attract more foreign talents to work in Shanghai, Shanghai Labor Bureau provides a preferential policy for fresh graduated foreign student, even he/she didn’t have 2 years working experience (the minimum requirement for China working visa before), if they reach following conditions, they can still apply for the working permit and visa here in shanghai directly .
1. Master degree or higher degree (Obtain from the university in Shanghai)
2. Employed by a company registered in Shanghai Free Trade Zone (FTZ) or Zhang Jiang high technology park.
3. Skill certificate suitable for his job But if you have completed your degree and want to start you own company in China, You can legally apply for a 2 years valid S visa to be an entrepreneur and start to work or intern. The premise is you will need your degree certificate as well as a business plan or company registration verification.
Steps and documents needed
· Original passport and visa
· Temporary residence registration, original and copy version.
· Submit the form of VISA / STAY PERMIT / RESIDENCE PERMIT APPLICATION FORM.
· 1 piece of 2*2 photo
· The health check provided by the Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau.
· Personal application or the company application.
· Business plan, Original& Copy (No need for those who come as investor)
· Company business license, Organization Code certification, Enterprise Approval Certification, original and copy.
TYPE 2- Students Who are Holding X1 Visa.
This option is valid both for part-time job or internship with payment or internship without payment. But it’s not valid for students with X2 visa. For those students who are studying in China with a X1 Visa, they will be allowed to get paid or unpaid internships in China. You will get a X visa with “Off – campus internship” on your visa page.
Steps and documents needed:
· Submit an internship application to your university.
· Get approval and go to the Entry and Exit Office the city’s main Public Security Bureau to update the residence permit with details of the internship host companies.
· Once done, the student should then go to the Entry and Exit Office the city’s main Public Security Bureau to update his residence permit with details on the place he will be working or interning at and the period of time that he will be employed for. If you don’t have any university that can supports you with the off campus internship permit, feel free to contact us, we can help you to enroll in the program for X1 visa as well as the work permit.
TYPE 3 – Students Holding Degree from University Abroad
Before there was no visa for the international students who no degree from China to do internship in China, but now the government supports the companies in Shanghai and abroad university with more communication and interaction. The policy allows this kind of students to do internship in the companies registered in Shanghai. Those students can come with any visa to China and change it into the S visa with the permit of ”Internship ”at Port visa agency.
Steps and documents needed
· Original Passport and China visa
· Original and copy of temporary residence permit from the police station.
· Submit the form of VISA / STAY PERMIT / RESIDENCE PERMIT APPLICATION FORM.
· 1 piece of 2*2 photo · Documents for your internship (Invitation letter, Internship confirmation. Company business license copy.)
TYPE 4 – French Under “Sino-French 1,000 Interns Exchange Program”
China and France have launched an exchange scheme under which 1,000 young people in China can apply for internships in enterprises in France. Under an agreement reached by the two countries in November, Chinese enterprises will also accept 1,000 French interns for up to six months, according to the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security. For those students under this program, they can apply for work permit or “Internship”. The employer needs to apply for the “Alien Employment License” marked “Internship” and provide you the internship invitation letter and internship confirmation letter. You can apply for Z visa and after coming to China , you need to change it into work&residence permit marked “Internship”？. This program is under government, it’s little bit complicated.
Here are the notes
1. A trilateral agreement must be signed between the enterprise in China, the applicant and the university they are currently studying at – or the Service of Cooperation and Cultural Action – French Institute of China for those who have already graduated.
2. No salary will be offered to the French intern under the internship program, but a subsidy covering the basic cost of living is required.
3. Minimum duration of the internship is three months, with a maximum of six months. To participate in the program, French applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria: · Have completed two years of university education in France, or obtained the French or Chinese Tertiary Education Diploma (or equivalent qualification) of less than one year · Have a confirmed offer from a Chinese enterprise
4. Hold a passport or international travel document with at least 12 months’ validity
5. Be aged between 18 and 30
6. Meet the health requirements
7. Have no criminal record Visa for doing internship in China If you are considering an internship in China, you will need to think what kind of visa you need to have for the internship. Here we listed 4 types of visas for undergraduates and graduates from local Chinese university or abroad universities to do internship in China.
