Chinese Green Card Process Simplified

In 2017, China’s Ministry of Public Security released a new regulation to expand the scope of expats capable of applying for China’s permanent residency permit, or green card. Foreigners working for seven categories of institutions including the R&D departments, national engineering technology centers, and foreign-invested R&D centers have been added to the application list. In March 2018, the State Immigration Administration (SIA) was established and the examination and approvals process for green cards was significantly simplified – reducing the waiting time from 180 to 50 working days. Major cities including Beijing have launched fast track application systems, further lowering the threshold of employers and years worked. Official statistics showed that within two months after the SIA was set up, 1,881 applications for green cards were approved, exceeding the total number for the whole of 2017. Over the years, China’s immigration management has focused on safety and precautions but is nowadays taking a different approach – one which focuses on attracting international talent and encouraging skilled migrants to settle.