The following types of talents can quickly apply for permanent residence in China:
1. Foreign high-level talents:
– Recipients of well-known awards or selected candidates of high-level talent programs: For example, foreign nationals who have won scientific and technological awards or cultural and artistic awards with high international influence, or foreigners who have been selected into China’s national or local high-level talent programs.
– Well-known foreign experts, scholars, and professional and technical talents: Experts, scholars, and professional and technical personnel who are highly renowned internationally and have outstanding achievements and contributions in academic, scientific research, technical and other fields. For example, foreign scientific researchers who have published multiple influential papers in authoritative international academic journals or possess important patented technologies.
– Foreign high-level innovative and entrepreneurial talents: Foreign talents who have launched innovative and leading entrepreneurial projects in China, with good development prospects and potential for the projects, and who have a positive impact on China’s economic development, scientific and technological innovation, etc.
– “Highly-skilled, sophisticated, and in-demand” foreign talents in key industries (fields): Foreign professional talents who possess key technologies and core skills and are in short supply domestically in industries and fields supported by the state, such as artificial intelligence, integrated circuits, biomedicine, new energy, etc.
2. High-level foreign Chinese talents:
– Foreigners with a doctoral degree or above: Foreign Chinese who hold a doctoral degree or above, once held Chinese nationality, and are working in China with a work residence permit can directly apply for permanent residence.
– Foreign Chinese working in key development areas and innovation and entrepreneurship areas of the country: For example, foreign Chinese working in free trade areas, national independent innovation demonstration zones, national high-tech zones and other key development areas, as well as in the “Mass Entrepreneurship and Innovation” demonstration zones, and who meet the identification standards for high-level talents in the relevant areas.
3. Talents who have made significant contributions to China: Foreigners who have made significant and outstanding contributions to China’s science and technology, cultural education, economic construction, social development, etc., as well as their spouses and unmarried children under the age of 18. The recognition of significant contributions usually requires the approval and recommendation of relevant government departments or authoritative institutions.
4. Senior managers and senior technical personnel of key enterprises or institutions:
– Foreign nationals who hold positions above deputy general manager or deputy factory director in key enterprises, or who hold deputy senior professional titles such as associate professor or associate researcher in scientific research institutions, higher education institutions, etc., have served continuously for four years, have resided in China for a cumulative period of not less than three years within four years, and have a good tax payment record.
– Foreign senior managers and senior technical personnel who hold key positions in enterprises that conform to the orientation of the national industrial policy, have high innovation ability and development potential, and in institutions that undertake major national scientific research projects and key engineering construction.
5. Persons who have worked continuously for a certain number of years with a work residence permit annotated with “talent”: In some cities, such as Guangdong and Shanghai, foreign high-level talents recognized by relevant departments can apply for permanent residence in China after working continuously for three years with a work residence permit annotated with “talent” before the application date and upon recommendation by their work units.
6. Investment talents: Foreigners who have made direct investments in China, with stable investment conditions for three consecutive years and a good tax payment record. For example, investors who have invested a total of more than $500,000 in industries encouraged by the National Catalogue of Industries for Foreign Investment Guidance, or who have invested a total of more than $500,000 in the western region of China and key counties for poverty alleviation and development work, or who have invested a total of more than $1000,000 in the central region of China, or who have invested a total of more than $2000,000 in China. These investment talents have brought capital and projects to China’s economic development and have a positive impact on promoting local economic growth and employment. The approval speed for their applications for permanent residence in China is relatively fast.
