China eases green card rules hoping to lure foreign talent, but will expats bite?
Beijing will allow foreigners from a broader range of professions to apply for permanent residency, but experts say overseas executives are put off by smog, the limited school options and an unlevel playing field in business
The central government’s latest relaxation of green card rules indicates that the mainland has a growing need for international talent, but the move might not be enough to lure more top professionals, experts say.
Under a directive issued by the State Council on Thursday, foreigners working in a greater range of areas would be eligible for permanent residency.
“In the past three decades, China focused on attracting foreign capital, and in the three decades ahead, it should shift to foreign talent,” said Wang Huiyao, director of the Centre for China and Globalisation, a Beijing-based think tank.
Until last June, only foreigners who worked in government departments or laboratories involved in “key national projects” could apply for permanent residency. The rule was then relaxed to include researchers at more institutes, including those with international funding.
The latest directive says foreigners working in additional types of industries should also be eligible for permanent residency, but did not specify which ones.
“Foreign good trade and foreign capital activity have been lively in China in the past decades, but not [movement of] people,” Wang said. “China has used up its demographic dividend and now it should start using international talent.”