Notice of the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,

Foreign Experts Affairs, human resources and social security, foreign affairs and public security departments of all provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the Central Government, Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, and sub-provincial cities, all ministries and commissions of the State Council, and all institutions directly under the State Council:

        On December 31, 2015, the Administrative Examination and Approval Reform Office of the State Council decided to integrate "Permission for Foreigners to Enter China for Employment" and "Permission for Foreign Experts to Work in China" into "Work Permit for Foreigners in China". The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security shall, in conjunction with the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs, formulate policies for foreigners to work in China, and the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs shall be responsible for the specific organization and implementation. From October 2016 to March 2017, Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shanghai, Anhui, Shandong, Guangdong, Sichuan, Yunnan, Ningxia and other regions carried out pilot work on the work permit system for foreigners in China and achieved positive progress. In accordance with the requirements of streamlining administration and delegating powers, combining deregulation with appropriate regulation, and optimizing services, to realize the organic connection of work permits, visas and residence permits, and establish a work permit system for foreigners in China with unified standards and standardized procedures, the work permit system for foreigners in China shall be implemented nationwide as of April 1, 2017. Relevant work is hereby notified as follows:

        I. Guiding Ideology

        We will fully implement the spirit of the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and the 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th Plenary Sessions of the 18th CPC Central Committee, thoroughly implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's series of important speeches, implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's series of important speeches and instructions on the introduction of foreign talents and intelligence, firmly establish the innovative, coordinated, green, open and shared development philosophy, practice the strategic thinking of "gathering all outstanding talents across the world and putting them to good use", thoroughly implement the strategy of prioritizing talent development and the strategy of prioritizing employment, adhere to the principle of "encouraging high-end talents, controlling general ones and restricting low-end ones", improve the management system for foreign talents working in China, realize the organic connection of work permits, visas and residence permits for foreigners in China, gradually form the institutional advantages of talent system with international competitiveness and the institutional environment that balances the protection of the domestic employment market, so as to better serve the implementation of major national strategies and economic and social development.

    II. Work Objectives

We will implement the Exit and Entry Administration Law of the People's Republic of China, integrate the management and service resources for foreign talents working in China, straighten out the management system, optimize institutions and functions, and establish a unified, authoritative and efficient foreign talent management system. We will further deepen the reform of "streamlining administration, delegating powers, improving regulation and upgrading services", promote the transformation of government functions, strictly implement the standardization requirements of administrative licensing, fully standardize the acts of administrative licensing, scientifically implement classified management, promote the construction of Internet Plus government services, strengthen the sharing of government information resources, use big data to improve regulatory efficiency, innovate in-process and post-event regulation, establish a social credit system in the field of foreigners working in China, form a foreigner work management system featuring scientific management, interconnected sharing, collaborative supervision, public participation, convenience and efficiency, and a work permit system for foreigners in China featuring standardized management and strict approval, so as to realize a beneficial supplement to the domestic employment market, and improve the scientific, standardized, information-based and international level of service management.

    III. Major Tasks

    (i) Fully implement the work permit system for foreigners in China. We will implement unified management of foreigners working in China, simplify application materials, optimize approval processes, standardize application standards, improve the classified criteria for foreigners working in China that are efficient, reasonable and scientifically reflect market demands (see the annex), open up a "green channel" for foreign high-end talents to work, innovate and start businesses in China, and improve the level of service guarantee.

    (ii) Improve the laws and regulations for foreigners working in China. We will strengthen top-level design, accelerate the formulation of the Regulations on the Administration of Foreigners Working in China and the detailed rules for the implementation of talent visas, establish systems such as the guidance catalogue for foreigners working in China, foreign talent market testing, and credit management for foreigners and employing entities, and improve classified criteria and permit service guidelines. In accordance with the requirements of the Notice of the General Office of the State Council on Matters Concerning the Cleaning up of Administrative Regulations, Departmental Rules and Documents (No. 12 [2016] of the State Council General Office Letter), we will timely clean up departmental rules and normative documents involving the reform of the administrative examination and approval system, and abolish policy documents that are not suitable for the implementation of the work permit system for foreigners in China. No regions or departments shall introduce policies and measures that contradict this reform.

    (iii) Innovate the application of Internet Plus government services. We will build a unified, standardized, multi-level linked "Internet Plus government services" technology and service system, and form the mode of "comprehensive acceptance at the front desk, classified approval at the back office, and document issuance at a unified window". Departments of foreign experts affairs, human resources and social security, foreign affairs, public security, etc. shall strengthen information sharing, back-office authentication and business collaboration, integrate and share public service resources, and realize the standardization, precision, convenience, platformization and collaboration of government services.

    (iv) Strengthen in-process and post-event regulation. We will improve the "Two Randoms, One Public" working mechanism, strengthen the construction of government integrity, business integrity and personal integrity system in the field of foreigners working in China, establish the mechanism for the formation, collection, public disclosure and application of credit records of employing entities, foreigners working in China, and entrusted specialized institutions, use big data to strengthen service and supervision over market entities, and improve the incentive mechanism for trustworthy entities and the punishment mechanism for untrustworthy entities.

    IV. Specific Implementation

    As of April 1, 2017, the work permit system for foreigners in China shall be implemented nationwide in a unified manner, and the Notice of the People's Republic of China on Foreigner's Work Permit (hereinafter referred to as the "Notice on Foreigner's Work Permit") and the Foreigner's Work Permit of the People's Republic of China (hereinafter referred to as the "Foreigner's Work Permit", jointly printed by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security and the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs) shall be issued. Foreigners coming to work in China shall go through relevant visa and residence procedures with the Notice on Foreigner's Work Permit and the Foreigner's Work Permit. The existing valid permits for foreign experts to work in China, permits for foreigners to enter China for employment and relevant certificates shall continue to be valid.

    V. Safeguard Measures

      All regions and departments shall, from the overall and strategic perspective, unify their understanding, cooperate closely, strengthen work coordination and system implementation, continuously improve the supply capacity and level of government services, and maximize the convenience for enterprises and the public. They shall proactively release authoritative information, respond to social concerns, guide social expectations, let employing entities and all sectors of society timely understand the new policies and new systems, and form a favorable public opinion atmosphere for promoting the implementation of the foreigner work permit system.

Source: Human Resources and Social Security Department of Zhejiang Province