Same-day work permits for top talent in Shanghai

LEADING foreign experts will get their work permits the same day they apply for them in Shanghai as long as all requirements are met.

The city aims to bring this into play this year to facilitate attracting more top foreign professionals to the city.

The qualifications for such leading foreign experts who are entitled to the faster “green channel” process are yet to be worked out but they should first qualify as professionals working at those research and development centers that fall in the Category A work permits for foreigners in China, the city’s human resources and social security bureau said this week.

They will be exempt from submitting proof of no criminal records and diploma verifications when applying for a work permit in Shanghai as they are deemed to be trustworthy and their skills are urgently needed.

Meanwhile, several new policies to boost the hunt for global talent to work in the city’s foreign-invested R&D centers have already come into force this year.

Category A foreign specialists are now given work permits of up to five years — regardless of their age.

Shanghai issued 34,551 work permits to foreigners in 2017, accounting for a quarter of the total in China, the bureau said.

The number of foreigners working and starting businesses in Shanghai amounted to 215,000 at the end of last year — more than anywhere else in the country.