Authoritative Interpretation of the 2024 Edition Xing Shen Talent Program

The 2024 edition of the "Xing Shen Talent Plan" comprises 24 policy measures spanning four key areas. The highlights are as follows:

I. Prioritize Industrial Development: Precisely and Effectively Attract and Cultivate the Diverse Talent Required for High-Quality Development.

1. Funding Support for Top-Tier Talent. Newly recruited or newly elected academicians and other "Category A" talent are granted ¥5 million in research funding and a ¥1 million incentive bonus; furthermore, their acquisition of a first home is addressed on a case-by-case basis. For newly recruited or newly elected recipients of national-level talent programs—specifically those designated as "Category B" talent—support includes ¥2.6 million in research funding, a ¥1 million incentive bonus, and a ¥1.5 million subsidy for the purchase of a first home. Those designated as "Category C" talent receive ¥700,000 in research funding, a ¥500,000 incentive bonus, and a ¥1 million subsidy for the purchase of a first home. While emphasis is placed on supporting recruited talent, equal importance is attached to cultivating and retaining local talent. To this end, a new provision has been introduced: academicians and recipients of national-level talent programs who were cultivated locally within Shenyang—and who have not previously received policy-based funding designated for top-tier talent—are now eligible for a monthly living allowance of ¥5,000 (Category A), ¥3,000 (Category B), or ¥2,000 (Category C), respectively. Furthermore, with a focus on creating synergistic policy effects, a new measure allows outstanding individuals who have received national honorary titles—such as "National Distinguished Engineer"—to qualify for talent funding at the corresponding tier, subject to official verification.

2. Fostering High-Caliber, Cutting-Edge Technological Talent. We are focusing on eliminating the "Four Sole Criteria"—an over-reliance on academic titles, degrees, seniority, and publications—and introducing new support policies for talented individuals who do not hold "national-level titles." Each year, we will select and support a cohort of "Category B" and "Category C" talent, with reward standards aligned with those for corresponding tiers within national talent programs. Furthermore, for key employers within Shenyang—including local universities, research institutes, new-type R&D institutions, and major enterprises—we are implementing a new mechanism involving dedicated quotas and direct access to benefits without the need for separate evaluation. Under this approach, these institutions can directly secure research funding, financial rewards, and first-time home-purchase subsidies for their talent at the corresponding levels.

3. Talent Contribution Rewards. High-level talents working in our city with an annual salary exceeding ¥300,000, as well as senior management talents and key scientific innovation backbone talents in technology-based enterprises, will be rewarded based on their contribution level through classified and tiered allocation, for a maximum of 3 years.

4. Support for Foreign Experts and Teams. For foreign talent included in foreign expert programs—specifically those with an annual salary exceeding ¥300,000—employing organizations will be awarded a subsidy ranging from ¥120,000 to ¥600,000. Additionally, approximately 25 foreign expert teams collaborating with Shenyang-based enterprises will be recruited annually, with each team eligible to receive a reward of up to ¥200,000 based on their performance and contributions.

5. Support for the Introduction and Cultivation of "Transplantation-Ready" Teams. For enterprises collaborating with innovation teams to tackle technical challenges and resolve critical "bottleneck" technologies, incentives of up to ¥20 million will be awarded to the enterprise—and up to ¥5 million to the team—calculated as a specific percentage of the technical contract value. Each year, support will be provided for the introduction of approximately 25 talent teams dedicated to commercializing research outcomes and establishing technology-based enterprises within Shenyang. Innovation teams will receive an annual subsidy ranging from ¥50,000 to ¥500,000—based on their R&D investment—for a maximum period of three years. Entrepreneurial teams will receive startup funding of up to ¥10 million during the initial phase, calculated as a specific percentage of their actual investment; during the growth phase, they will be awarded incentives of up to ¥20 million, calculated as a specific percentage of their primary business revenue.

6. Support for Industry Talent. Based on the talent requirements of our city's pillar and emerging industries, we compile an annual *Directory of Urgently Needed and Scarce Talent*. Individuals recruited in accordance with this directory are awarded a total incentive ranging from ¥30,000 to ¥300,000, disbursed over a three-year period. Emphasizing the direct delivery of policy benefits, we have introduced a new provision granting "autonomous award quotas" to "chain-leading enterprises"—or other key enterprises—within our industrial chains.

7. Support for Young Talent Reserves. Comprehensive subsidies of ¥160,000, ¥80,000, and ¥40,000 are provided to university graduates holding doctoral, master's, and bachelor's degrees, respectively. With a focus on prioritizing key development sectors, the living subsidy standard may be increased by 10% for university graduates newly employed on the production frontlines of the city's "Time-Honored Brands" and "Indigenous Brands" industries, or those working in Liaozhong District, Xinmin City, Faku County, or Kangping County. Postdoctoral researchers entering a workstation (innovation practice base) are granted an annual living subsidy of ¥100,000 per person, distributed for a maximum of two years; furthermore, those recruited by local enterprises—or who remain employed at an enterprise after completing their postdoctoral program—are awarded a living subsidy of ¥200,000.

8. Support for Highly Skilled Talent. We will accelerate the cultivation and attraction of skilled talent in short supply within key industries. A new initiative has been introduced to annually select approximately 10 "Xing Shen Master Craftsmen"—individuals who have made significant contributions to technological innovation and upgrading—and award each a prize of ¥100,000. Furthermore, Skill Master Studios, high-skilled talent training bases, and "dual-system" school-enterprise cooperation projects will be awarded grants of up to ¥1 million, based on metrics such as the scale of skilled talent trained. Finally, vocational colleges that supply more than 50 graduates to enterprises within a given year will be awarded incentives calculated at a rate of up to ¥1,000 per graduate.

9. Support for Specialized Talent Across Various Sectors. We will implement talent cultivation programs in fields such as education, healthcare, agriculture, finance, journalism, sports, and culture and tourism. Individuals selected for these programs will receive project funding of up to ¥150,000, along with a bonus of ¥50,000. This initiative aims to encourage professionals to remain dedicated to their respective roles, work with devotion, and contribute their efforts to the revitalization and development of Shenyang, thereby fostering a supportive atmosphere for this endeavor.

II. Prioritize Innovation-Driven Development: Leverage the Introduction of Platforms and Institutions as Key Vehicles for Talent Aggregation.

1. Support Platforms for Scientific and Technological Innovation. Newly approved national-level key laboratories, technology innovation centers, engineering research centers, and similar entities are eligible for support of up to ¥5 million. For new types of R&D institutions, a post-project subsidy of up to ¥3 million is provided, based on their effectiveness in areas such as talent cultivation and aggregation.

2. Support Platforms That Integrate Industrial Development with Talent Cultivation. For Academicians' Workstations established in Shenyang, incentives of up to a cumulative total of ¥3 million—distributed over a maximum of five consecutive years—will be awarded based on their effectiveness in attracting and utilizing talent. Newly established national-level Postdoctoral Workstations and Liaoning Provincial Postdoctoral Innovation Practice Bases will receive incentives of up to ¥1 million and ¥500,000, respectively. Furthermore, national- and provincial-level science and technology service teams and academic societies that establish service stations in Shenyang will be awarded incentives of up to ¥300,000 annually for five consecutive years.

3. Support Platforms for the Commercialization of Research Findings. Focus on the development of science and technology innovation platforms and increase support for innovation and entrepreneurship incubators. We are introducing new support for the construction of university science parks, offering incentives of up to ¥5 million, ¥3 million, and ¥1 million to parks designated at the national, provincial, and municipal levels, respectively. Additionally, we are introducing new incentives—capping at ¥500,000—for technology entrepreneurship exchange platforms established in Shenyang by higher education institutions, research institutes, and technology-based enterprises; these incentives will be awarded based on metrics such as their effectiveness in facilitating the commercialization of scientific and technological achievements.

4. Support for Innovative Enterprise Incubation Platforms. Newly designated national-level innovation and entrepreneurship hubs will receive a one-time reward of up to ¥500,000; furthermore, based on indicators such as incubation effectiveness and social contribution, these hubs will be awarded performance-based incentives of up to ¥500,000, as well as construction subsidies of up to ¥1 million.

5. Support Platforms for Academic Exchange Activities. Support enterprises and public institutions in organizing talent-related academic exchange events in Shenyang, providing the organizing entities with a subsidy of 50% of the total event expenditure, up to a maximum of ¥1 million. Furthermore, we award prizes of up to ¥300,000 to winning enterprises—such as those from the "Overseas Talent Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition"—that establish operations within the city.

6. Support Platforms for Talent Attraction and Recommendation. Encourage human resource service agencies to actively recruit and recommend talent; for every high-level or urgently needed talent successfully introduced, intermediary agencies will be awarded a bonus ranging from ¥20,000 to ¥200,000, based on the individual's professional caliber. Furthermore, for every "turnkey" talent team—a fully formed team recruited as a cohesive unit—that is successfully introduced, intermediary agencies will receive a bonus ranging from ¥100,000 to ¥200,000 per team, based on the team's overall caliber.

III. Prioritize Unleashing the Vitality of Talent and Deepen Reforms to the Systems and Mechanisms for Talent Development

1. Support Researchers in Taking Leave to Start Businesses and Engaging in Part-Time Innovation. Researchers may, in accordance with regulations, take leave from their posts to establish technology-based enterprises; upon returning to their positions, they shall be eligible to apply for re-employment at a rank no lower than their original level. Furthermore, for high-level talent applying to take leave to start a business within the same public institution, the duration of such leave may be extended to eight years. During periods of part-time innovation, researchers shall enjoy the same rights as regular enterprise employees regarding the receipt of remuneration, bonuses, and equity incentives.

2. Refine the Talent Evaluation System to be Guided by Innovation Value, Capability, and Contribution. Regarding specialized talent in various fields, relevant industry authorities may formulate specific recognition criteria based on the unique characteristics of their respective sectors. Accelerate the integration of talent resources across the "Shenyang, Dalian, Changchun, Harbin, Hohhot" corridor and the Shenyang Metropolitan Area; specifically, individuals recognized as talent by provincial capitals, sub-provincial cities, or cities within the Shenyang Metropolitan Area may be directly recognized as talent of a corresponding tier within our city, thereby fostering broader mutual recognition of talent across the region. Furthermore, we will pilot a recommendation-based evaluation system for high-level talent: individuals recommended by two or more high-level talents—specifically those classified as Category A or B—may directly qualify for consideration in training programs designed for top-tier scientific and technological talent.

3. Delegating Authority to Hiring Entities. Grant key institutions—including universities, research institutes, new-type R&D organizations, and major enterprises based in Shenyang—the autonomous authority to identify and certify talent (a privilege currently extended to 304 entities). To fully mobilize the enthusiasm of researchers, we are granting them greater autonomy in their scientific endeavors, allowing them to independently form research teams, determine technical approaches, and manage their research funds. Furthermore, making effective use of our talent quota pool by allocating 500 fully funded institutional staff positions on a rotational basis, specifically to assist enterprises and public institutions in recruiting high-caliber talent and personnel in critical, high-demand fields.

4. Increase Fiscal and Financial Support. Strengthen financial backing provided by government-backed industrial funds to science and technology innovation enterprises in their seed and startup stages (specifically, through the ¥600 million Shengjing Talent Development and Entrepreneurship Investment Fund and the ¥2 billion Shenyang Angel Investment Fund). We will refine the "Talent Loan" program, enabling entrepreneurial projects led by high-caliber talent to secure credit loans of up to 5 million yuan from financial institutions, accompanied by post-facto interest subsidies. We will also bolster the "Talent Investment" initiative, offering incentives of up to ¥5 million—calculated at 10% of the actual monetary investment—to venture capital institutions that provide direct financing services to projects in their seed and startup phases.

5. Establish a Scientific Mechanism for Talent Utilization. Support flexible talent recruitment, with incentive policies disbursed based on the duration of service: for individuals working in Shenyang for more than 2 months, 6 months, or 9 months annually, incentives will be disbursed at rates of 15%, 50%, and 100%, respectively. Furthermore, leveraging the Beijing-Shenyang and Jiangsu-Liaoning technological cooperation initiatives as key platforms, we will accelerate the recruitment of scientific and technological talent to Shenyang to engage in innovation and entrepreneurship.

IV. Optimize Service Support to Create a Favorable Environment That Captures Hearts and Retains Talent

1. Housing Support for Talent. Employ a comprehensive approach—including government-led construction, public-private partnerships, and corporate self-development—to secure housing for talent, offering rent-free apartments for a period of three years to high-caliber professionals. We also leverage our "Talent Stations"—which provide a daily capacity of 500 units—to extend the duration of free accommodation for out-of-town university graduates seeking employment in Shenyang from the current 10 days to 15 days.

2. Provide Guarantees Regarding Employment and Education for the Families of Talented Individuals. Expand the scope of placement services for spouses—extending coverage from the original Categories A, B, and C to include Category D talent—and ensure that spouses previously employed in administrative agencies or public institutions are placed in corresponding positions. Furthermore, the children of high-level talent may select a school to attend anywhere within the city, in accordance with their personal preferences.

3. Healthcare Service Guarantees for Talent. Prioritize enhancing service efficiency, including the introduction of a new "Talent Green Card" issued to high-caliber professionals; cardholders are entitled to "green channel" access for medical treatment and referral scheduling—as well as complimentary health check-ups—at 14 designated hospitals. Additionally, we regularly organize restorative retreats and recuperation programs for high-caliber talent.

4. Foster a Positive Environment That Respects Talent. Deepen reforms to enable "one-stop online processing" for talent-related policies and enhance the quality and capabilities of our digital service platform for talent. Through the "Sheng Shi Tong" mobile app, facilitate the direct and streamlined handling of matters such as talent certification, medical services, and subsidies for university students, ensuring that nearly ¥1 billion in talent-related funds can be accessed immediately upon application each year. Establish dedicated service teams to provide "one-stop" and "concierge-style" services for high-caliber talent. Furthermore, expand our range of services; holders of the "Talent Green Card" will be entitled to benefits such as free admission to state-owned scenic areas, as we strive to build a distinctive "Shenyang Brand" for talent services.

Forging ahead in a new era, the time to pursue our dreams is now. Today, Shenyang is firmly anchored to the goal of becoming a National Central City. Through the deep implementation of the "Three-Year Action Plan for New Breakthroughs in Comprehensive Revitalization" and the special initiative "New Breakthroughs in Revitalization: I Will Lead the Way," the city is witnessing a continuous elevation of its industrial capabilities, an accelerated unleashing of growth momentum, a sustained surge in project construction, a rapid transformation of its urban landscape, and unprecedented enthusiasm for cultural and tourism activities. Exhibiting a powerful trajectory of upward and positive growth, the moment for Shenyang’s comprehensive revitalization has arrived, the momentum has been established, and its resurgence is now within reach! The recent revision and refinement of the "Xing Shen Talent Plan" policies will serve to further inspire and mobilize talent from all sectors to dedicate themselves to the vibrant cause of Shenyang’s revitalization. Moreover, these measures provide a vast stage upon which talented individuals can showcase their abilities and realize their dreams. We eagerly look forward to having exceptional talent from all walks of life join hands with Shenyang—striving together and growing together—to achieve a mutual journey of shared growth between the individual and the city! Shenyang’s future is here—because of you!

Source: Shenyang Daily

The English version is for reference only. If there are differences between the English version and the Chinese version, the Chinese version shall prevail.
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