Foreigners working
in China are divided into foreign high-end talents (category A) and foreign
professionals (category B) and foreign ordinary personnel (category C).
Foreign citizens of categories A and B can be accepted for
long-term work in China and receive all the necessary documents.
Foreign citizens of category C can only be accepted for short-term work or work
within the quota (the size of these quotas is insignificant).
Category A is a "privileged" group of foreigners for whom there are
simplified rules for processing documents for work in China.
Category A includes the following groups of foreign citizens: foreign citizens
invited to work in the PRC as part of the implementation of state plans to
attract foreign personnel (including national plans and regional plans agreed
with the central authorities). World-class specialists.
This category includes holders of the most important awards for achievements in
the professional field (for example, the Nobel Prize, the US National Medal of
Science, the Wolf Prize, the Copley Medal, as well as other awards in science
and art), full members of the academies of sciences, heads of research
institutes, senior executives of companies from the Forbes 500 list, Olympic
medal winners, world championship winners, etc.
Foreign personnel required for promotional positions (for example,
senior management and technical positions in central enterprises, headquarters
and regional headquarters of Forbes 500 enterprises, national-level new and
high-tech enterprises, government research and development centers, heads of
enterprises of encouraged activities, key employees of central and regional
media, etc.). Foreign manpower to drive innovation: Founders and senior
executives who hold patents and other intellectual property rights and are
already doing business in China.
Category B - ordinary foreign citizens who are entitled to obtain a
work permit for a sufficiently long period.
This category includes: Foreign citizens who have higher education and at least
two years of work experience and are appointed to positions:
a) managers or technical specialists in the field of education, science and
technology, media, culture, publishing, art, health, sports for the purpose of
performing scientific, educational or managerial work;
b) specialists in order to implement interstate agreements;
c) representatives in representative offices of foreign companies;
d) managers and technical specialists of enterprises, institutions, public
organizations. Technical specialists with internationally recognized technical
qualifications, as well as rare specialists for whom there is a need. Foreigners
with high wages (several times the average wage).
Category C - foreign citizens whose employment is limited. These
are foreigners who do not belong to the groups belonging to categories A and B,
and who score less than 60 points on the point system.
For "third-rate" foreigners, only short-term work visas (visas for up to 90 days)
or visas to work in China under a certain quota (for example, the quota for
graduates of foreign universities) can be issued.
Categories A, B and C are united by the fact that all foreigners
from these categories meet the basic requirements and have the right to legally
get at least some work in China. These basic requirements include:
a) the age of majority - the foreigner must be over 18 years of age;
b) no criminal record;
c) good health;
d) the presence of a specific employer;
e) the presence of certain skills and experience necessary to perform a certain
job;
f) the presence of a passport and the absence of a ban on entry into the PRC.
If a foreign citizen does not meet these requirements, then he
cannot issue documents even for short-term work in category C.
Point system for determining the category If a foreigner does not
belong to a certain group of specialists who automatically fall into category A
or category B, then his category is determined by a point system:
category A includes foreigners who scored at least 85 points;
category B - from 60 to 84 points;
category C - less than 60 points