Moving your entire life to a foreign country can be hard. Finding housing, schools, medical care, not to mention a decent job, are just a few of the hurdles expatriates face.
Now China hopes to attract more skilled experts to its shores by making the task of relocating and securing a dream job a little bit easier.
The newly revamped Shanghai Employment Promotion Center has been modeled as a one-stop shop for foreign job seekers. With more than 430 of the world’s top 500 companies now with offices in Shanghai, one step is to attract experts in short supply.\
Once upon a time, Chinese bureaucracies like the SEPC were a little more than a rubber-stamp department, drowning applicants in mountains of paperwork. But, now being based in Shanghai, staff here is now trying to entice workers from all the corners of the world with the benefits of finding a job in the city.
Health care concerns
Besides basic medical insurance, the bureau coordinates with a state-owned company to offer tailored medical services for expats. The offerings of assistance have been expanded as part of the Expats Residence Law. The law, which took effect on July 1st , grants foreign workers with a bachelor degree or above, equal access to investment, government jobs, schooling, and an all-important driver’s license.
Long-term visa
As part of luring and securing expat workers, China has plans to introduce a long-term visa. It will replace the working visa, which must be renewed annually.
How to apply for a foreigner employment permit
Requirements:
1. Applicants should be in good health with no infectious diseases such as leprosy, AIDS, STDs or pulmonary tuberculosis. They should also have no other disease according to specific job requirements.
2. An assured work unit.
3. Professional skills, proper educational degrees and over two years of work experience related to the job.
4. No criminal record.
5. Valid passport or other international travel identification that can substitute.
6. Men between 18 and 60 years old and women between 18 and 55, under common situations.
7. Other requirements required by laws and regulations.
Application materials:
1. An application form.
2. Copies of valid business licence or other legal registration certificates and organization code. Foreign enterprises should also provide a copy of the approval certificate.
3. The applicant’s resume including the highest educational degree and complete experience. The resume should be printed in Chinese with the employer’s seal.
4. Related certificates of applicant’s skills (certificates should be issued by related organizations or by the applicant’s former employers.)
5. Copy of related educational diploma to the job in China.
6. Copy of the applicant’s valid passport.
7. Other materials required by issuing authorities.
Where to submit
• Shanghai Employment Promotion Center
Address: 4F, 77 Meiyuan Road
Phone: 12333 or 3251-1585
Opening hours:
9am to 11:30am and 1:30pm to 5pm from Monday to Thursday
9am to 11:30am and 1:30pm to 3:30pm on Friday
Closed at weekend.
• Foreigners in Huangpu, Xuhui, Jing’an, Changning, Jiading and Putuo districts and the Pudong New Area can go to district employment promotion centers to apply for the permit. Foreigners in other districts must go to the Shanghai Employment Promotion Center.
Huangpu: 525 Nanchezhan Road
Xuhui: 1F, 9118 Humin Road
Jing’an: Counter 5, 2F, 241 Wuning Road S.
Pudong: 3995 Pudong Road S.
Changning: 1F, 517 Wuyi Road
Jiading: 1F, 119 Jiajian Road
Putuo: 1F, 1036 Wuning Road
