Seven Favorable Policies and Measures in Exit-Entry Administration for Hangzhou National Innovation Demonstration Zone Highlights of the New Policies

Highlights of the New Policies

Highlight 1: Lowering the threshold and opening an express for foreign top talents to apply for permanent residency.
Policy: Officially recognised foreign top talents, together with their spouse and minor children, may apply for a permanent residence permit in China on the condition that they are recommended by administrative committees of the High-Tech Industrial Development Zone of Hangzhou, the Dajiangdong Industrial Cluster District of Hangzhou and the Chengxi Science and Technological Innovations Park of Hangzhou.
Breakthrough: 1. Wider coverage: the current policy covers the imported talents through the national Thousand Talents programme and special personnel approved by the Ministry of Public Security through recommendation; 2. More relaxed policy in recommendation: the current policy stipulates that the recommendation letters be issued to the Ministry of Public Security by the ministries, committees and bureaus affiliated to the State Council or by the government of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities, while the new policy extends the authority to the above-mentioned three administrative committees; 3. Simplified procedures: the current policy requires the report by a local organisation department to a higher-level organisation department until it reaches the Organisation Department of the CPC, which then reports to the Ministry of Public Security, while the new policy requires only recommendations from the authorities like the administrative committees in Hangzhou National Demonstration Zone for the top talents to apply for permanent residency. 4. More time efficient: the approval time is reduced from 180 workdays to 90.

Highlight 2: Lowering the barriers for foreign talents and their accompanying spouse and underaged children to apply for permanent residency.
Policy:Recommended by their employer, foreign talents and their spouse and underaged children may apply for permanent residency in China on the condition that they have worked for 4 consecutive years in Hangzhou and spent no less than 6 months accumulatively each year in China, with stable source of subsistence and a dwelling place, and that their annual wage income amounts to 500,000 yuan and the paid annual individual income tax amounts to 100,000 yuan.
Breakthrough: For the foreigners who apply for permanent residency, the current policy has requirements on their employers, titles and/or positions, while the new policy requires only 4 years of working experience, stable source of subsistence and creditable tax-paying records. What' s more, it also allows their spouses and underaged children to apply with them.

Highlight 3: Wider coverage of foreign nationals of Chinese ethnicity to apply directly for permanent residency.
Policy: Foreign nationals of Chinese ethnicity with a doctorate degree or above who work in Hangzhou, or foreign nationals of Chinese ethnicity who have worked in Hangzhou for 4 consecutive years and actually stayed no less than 6 months accumulatively each year in China, may apply for permanent residency directly.
Breakthrough: Wider coverage. According to the current policy, only those foreign nationals of Chinese ethnicity who are in the national Thousand Talents programme may apply for a permanent residence permit. The new policy stipulates that foreign nationals of Chinese ethnicity who hold a doctorate degree and work in Hangzhou, or those foreign nationals of Chinese ethnicity who have worked in Hangzhou for 4 consecutive years are eligible to apply for permanent residence permit.

Highlight 4: Easing the requirements for exit-entry and residency of foreign nationals of Chinese ethnicity.
Policy:A five-year visa with multiple entries may be issued to foreign nationals of Chinese ethnicity who come to Hangzhou for family reunion commercial activities, exchange activities in science, education, culture and public health, or personal affairs. Residence permit with a valid period of no more than 5 years may be issued to those who need to stay in Hangzhou for a long term for work, study, family reunion or personal affairs.
Breakthrough: First, wider coverage and longer duration: According to the current policy, only top talents of Chinese ethnicity are eligible to apply for a 5-vearvisa or residence permit, and those above 60 years old bought a house in China may apply for a 3-year residence permit. The new policy allows any foreign national of Chinese ethnicity who comes to Hangzhou for family reunion, commercial activities, exchange activities, work, study or other private business to apply for a 5-year visa or residence permit. Second, shorter waiting time: the approval time has been reduced from 7 workdays to 5 workdays, and the time for residence permit issuance has been cut down from 15 workdays to 10 workdays.

Highlight 5: Providing convenience for international students to stay in Hangzhou for practice or business startup, and expanding channels for talent attraction.
Policy: International students who hold a diploma of a Chinese university and have the intention to start their innovation business in Hangzhou may apply for a residence permit for personal purpose(marking “Business Startup”). During their stay, upon being employed, they may apply for a work-type residence permit. Foreign students from a foreign university who come to China for practice as invited by an enterprise on the record of an exit-entry administration authority of a provincial-level public security organisation may apply at the port of entry for a short-term private visa (marking “Practice”). Those who have entered China via other types of visa may also apply to convert them into a short-term private visa.
Breakthrough: First, more flexible in option of stay or exit: the current policy stipulates that international students who intend to work or start up a business in China has to exit first and then re-apply for a visa while the new policy requires no exit for those who are eligible. Secondly, wider coverage of students in practice: the current policy covers only international students who are studying in China, while the new policy extends to foreign students from foreign universities to conduct practice in enterprises which are on the record Security Bureau, and thus greatly expands the channels for talent attraction.

Highlight 6: Easing the requirements for a work-type residence permit and providing convenience for long-term residency.
Policy: A work-type residence permit with a valid period of 5 years may be issued to foreigners working in Hangzhou who apply for a work-type residence permit for the third time, upon the terms that they have applied successively twice for a work-type residence permit and that they have no records of crime or regulation violation.
Breakthrough: Widening the coverage of a long-term work-type residency permit: the present policy allows top talents, urgently needed special talents and investors to apply for a 5-year work-type residence permit, while the new policy extends the treatment to those who have stable work in Hangzhou with a good reputation.

Highlight 7: Expanding the scope of port visa issuance and extending favorable exit-entry policies.
Policy:Foreign technical talents and senior management talents who hold a work permit and are employed by specified enterprises in the demonstration zone may apply for a work visa at the port of entry.in case they don't have time to obtain a work permit before hand, they may apply for a talent visa for entry by providing the invitation letter from the enterprise concerned.
Breakthrough: Expanding the scope of port visa issuance, especially the issuance of work visa at the port of entry, which is greatly convenient for the employees: According to the current policy, work visa must be applied for at an overseas Chinese embassy or consulate. while the new policy permits those officially recognized technical talents and senior management talents to apply for a work visa at a port of entry in case of urgency.