State Administration of Foreign Expert Affairs: Notice on Implementation of Plans for Employment Licenses for Foreigners Coming to China for Work

The State Administration of Foreign Expert Affairs (SAFEA) published this plan on Sept. 27, 2016, to combine the existing two tracks to obtain work authorization into a single process. Previously, one track involved applying to the Human Resources and Social Security Bureau for a work permit (就业证), and the other track involved applying to the Foreign Expert Bureau for a foreign expert permit (专家证). The new process will result in issuance of an ID card with a unique ID number for the foreign worker. 

A pilot program will began in Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Hebei, Anhui, Shandong, Guangdong, Sichuan, and Ningxia in October.