| Foreigners wishing to live and work in China must | | | | Step Two. Obtaining Invitation Letter for work visas |
| follow strict procedures that involve much paperwork | | | | With the Employment License, the employer needs to |
| and different levels of state bureaucracy. The | | | | apply to the appropriate approval authority for an |
| complexity of the procedures is heightened by the fact | | | | official invitation letter. The following documents are |
| that the names for various permits and certificates are | | | | required to Beijing Commerce Bureau (if the employer |
| often confused and used interchangeably. All foreign | | | | applys in Beijing): |
| nationals wishing to work in China should hold a work | | | | - Approval Certificate of the employer; |
| (Z) visa for entry into China. After entering China, they | | | | - Business License of the employer; |
| must then obtain a work permit and a residence | | | | - Employment License; and |
| permit. Failure to do so is an offence leading to | | | | - Other documents required. |
| possible fines and deportation. (By "expat" here, we | | | | The employer needs to send the original Invitation |
| mean foreign nationals) | | | | Letter together with the Employment Permit to the |
| The rules are of interest to foreign nationals in general, | | | | expiate employee. Note only foreign nationals need the |
| but bear in mind that different rules apply to those | | | | Invitation Letter because they need it to apply for work |
| working in embassies, consulates, with the United | | | | visa. People from Hongkong / Macau / Taiwan do not |
| Nations or other similar international organizations. | | | | need the Invitation Letter, they will go through different |
| Different rules also apply for citizens of Taiwan, | | | | formalities to obtain Chinese "visa". |
| Hong-Kong and Macau. | | | | Step Three. Obtaning Work Visa and enter into China |
| Verification should be sought for the exact | | | | With the Employment License and the Invitation Letter |
| documentation required at each step of any application | | | | obtained from the previous steps, the expat employee |
| for permits or certificates. This is because | | | | can apply for Chinese work visa at a Chinese |
| documentation requirements tend to change, and will | | | | embassy /consulate or China visa office in Hongkong. |
| vary depending on the employee's intended location in | | | | In additional to the two documents, Chinese visa |
| the PRC. Also be advised that cooperation between | | | | authorities may also require you to provide: |
| the employee and the employer is essential at every | | | | - Passport; |
| stage of the process, as both are required to submit | | | | - Photos; |
| numerous documents to the relevant authorities for the | | | | - Application forms; |
| employee to work legally in China. | | | | - Medical checkup reports. |
| | | | | Upon receipt of the Chinese work visa, the expat can |
| Criteria for exapts taking up employment in China | | | | enter into China. |
| (1) be at least 18 years of age and in good health; | | | | Step Four. Obtaining Employment Permit |
| (2) Possesse the professional skills and working | | | | Within 15 days of entering China, the employer must |
| experience required for the intended position; | | | | apply for an Employment Permit from the local labour |
| (3) have no criminal record; | | | | department by submitting the following documents: |
| (4) have a confirmed employer; and | | | | - Approval Certificate of the employer; |
| (5) have a valid passport or other international travel | | | | - Business License of the employer; |
| document. | | | | - Completed application form; |
| Application procedures for hiring an expat | | | | - Original Employment License; |
| Generally, there are five steps for obtaining all official | | | | - Employment Contract; |
| working and residencing documents for expat | | | | - Original Medical Checkup Record (issued |
| workers. | | | | by the Sanitation and Anti-Epidemic Department); |
| Step One. Obtaining Employment License | | | | - Origal passport; |
| The employer, a foreign-invested enterprise or a | | | | - Photos; and |
| domestic company, needs to apply to local Labor | | | | - Other required documents. |
| Bureau for an Employment License for the expat. The | | | | Normally the Employment Permit is valid for one year, |
| labor bureau will check whether the employer is | | | | although the employment contract term could be |
| qualified to hire and expat, and whether the expat is | | | | longer. |
| qualified to be hired. The following documents are | | | | Step Five. Obtaining Residence Permit |
| required for submission by the employer to the labor | | | | The employor must report to the local Public Security |
| bureau: | | | | Bureau (PSB) within 30 days of the expat employee |
| - Completed application forms; | | | | entering China. Failing to apply for the residence permit |
| - Letter of intent to hire; | | | | within the 30 days will be fined 500 RMB for each |
| - Letter for explaining why the services of | | | | delayed day and maximum fine is 5000 RMB. The |
| the expat employee are required in China; | | | | following documents are required for submission for |
| - Approval Certificate of the employer; | | | | applying a residence permit: |
| - Business License of the employer; | | | | - Approval Certificate of the employer; |
| - Copy of the expat employee's passport or | | | | - Business License of the employer; |
| other international travel documents; | | | | - Completed application form; |
| - Copy of the expat employee's resume; | | | | - Employment Permit; |
| - Evidence of the state of good health of | | | | - Physical Examination Record (issued by |
| the employee confirmed by a medical examination; | | | | the Sanitation and Anti-Epidemic Department) |
| and | | | | - Tempory Residence Registration |
| - other documents as required. | | | | Certificate; |
| Upon approval by the labor bureau, an Employment | | | | - Passport, and |
| License will be issued to the employer. | | | | - Photos. |
| For representative offices (RO) in China, there is no | | | | |
| need to apply for an employment permit in hiring a | | | | Tommy China Business Consulting based on |
| foreigner as its chief representative or representative. | | | | ShenZhen China can offer Work Visa and Residence |
| The employer must, however, seek approval from the | | | | Permit application service to foreign nationals . We are |
| local Administration of Industry and Commerce (AIC) in | | | | familiar with the application procedures and the |
| China. The authority will issue a Working Card for the | | | | applicable chinese law. |
| expat representative. | | | | |