Expats who contribute much may stay permanently

The Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs of Guangdong Province will act on the permanent residence applications of talents from abroad, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan on May 19.

Applications from employers within the Zhuhai administrative region will be verified by the municipal Human Resources & Social Security Bureau and identified by the Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs of Guangdong Province. Those from talents working in Hengqin New Area will be under the charge of the Hengqin New Area Administrative Committee before being reported to the Guangdong Pilot Free Trade Zone Office for reexamination.

Expat photographs century-old building in Tangjiawan [Photo courtesy southcn.com]

The policy was made to support construction and innovation-based development, and is expected to help the city establish a market-oriented system of professionals in line with international practice, a government official said.

A new system that combines two required work permits into one took effect on April 1 after a six-month pilot in several places. The new work permit is the legal credential permitting foreigners to work in China, with each applicant receiving a lifetime number. A foreigner's work experience and information such as credit records will be attached to the number.

Until now, foreigners have been required to apply for two types of work permit: an employment license for foreign employees and a foreign-expert work permit for top talent. These were issued by the Ministry of Human Resources & Social Security and the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs (SAFEA) respectively.

More details can be found at the portal website of the Zhuhai Human Resources & Social Security Bureau with the hotline of 2128409.

New policies include:

High-level foreign experts working in the Guangdong Pilot FTZ are eligible to apply for permanent residence permits for their spouses and underage children with a recommendation from the FTZ administration office.

Foreign members of innovation teams, who are settled in the FTZ, and foreign technicians hired by enterprises in the FTZ, can accumulate points toward qualifying for a permanent residence permit.

Foreigners who directly invest in the Guangdong FTZ, or through companies of which they are controlling shareholders, accumulate $1 million or above in three years, and have good taxation records, are eligible to apply for permanent residence permits.