ChinaResidence permit

Work residence permit in China

The work-type residence permit is obtained by foreign nationals employed in China, and also by highly qualified specialists, urgently needed professionals and investors received by the Chinese side. The document confers the right to work lawfully for the particular employer named in the work permit and is issued by the exit and entry department of the police at the place of residence.

Source: National Immigration Administration of China (nia.gov.cn), guide to the foreigner residence permit

Who can obtain it and on what terms

The procedure and the validity depend on the visa on which the foreign national entered and on the category they fall into.

Entered on a Z work visa

You submit the work permit issued by the local labour and social security authority or by the authority for foreign experts
You additionally submit a letter of confirmation from the employer
You work only for the employer named in the work permit

Entered on another visa as a specialist or investor

You submit documents confirming compliance with the state standards for highly qualified specialists, urgently needed professionals or investors
The supporting materials are issued by the competent Chinese state authorities

The validity of the residence permit depends on status

Up to 5 years — for highly qualified specialists, urgently needed professionals and investors
Up to 2 years — for those working in registered organisations in good standing
Up to 1 year — for all other applicants

What it costs

Residence permit valid for up to 1 year	400 CNY
Residence permit valid for 1 to 3 years	800 CNY
Residence permit valid for 3 to 5 years	1 000 CNY
Total government feesThe sum of the mandatory rows in the table.	2 200 CNY

Documents to gather

The common package plus documents for the particular ground of entry.

Valid passport or other international travel document
Completed Visa / Stay Permit / Residence Permit Application Form with a photograph of the prescribed format
Health certificate from the local health and quarantine service or from a medical institution at county level or above — if the residence permit is issued for more than 1 year
For those who entered on a Z visa: work permit from the local labour and social security authority or the authority for foreign experts, plus a letter of confirmation from the employer
For those who entered on other visas: documents confirming compliance with the standards for highly qualified specialists, urgently needed professionals or investors

How the process runs

The application is filed in person with the exit and entry department of the public security authority at the intended place of residence.

1
File the application after entry
within 30 days of the date of entry
Apply in person to the exit and entry department of the police at the intended place of residence. For highly qualified specialists and urgently needed professionals, as well as for applicants under 16 and over 60 or with a disability, the application may be filed by the inviting organisation, by relatives or by a specialised service organisation.
2
Submit the document package
The documents are accepted and checked as a single package at one time. If the application meets the acceptance conditions, a receipt of acceptance is issued; if something is missing, all the missing documents are notified at once.
3
Verification of the details
The exit and entry department verifies the authenticity of the grounds for the application through interviews, telephone calls and on-site checks, and also confirms the applicant's foreign citizenship.
4
Decision and issue of the residence permit
no more than 15 working days from the date the documents are accepted
If the conditions and standards are met, the authority decides to issue the permit and produces a residence permit of the appropriate category. The completed document is collected in person at the exit and entry department on presentation of the receipt of acceptance.

Timelines and rights

Work

You work for the employer named in the work permit. If you change employer, the work permit and the residence permit are reissued. Work without a permit or outside its conditions counts as illegal employment.

Who you can bring with you

The work residence permit covers the worker alone — family members are issued a separate document.

Spouse, parents, parents-in-law, children under 18

They enter on an S1 visa and apply for a residence permit for private affairs: a letter on the family relationship and the residence permit of the worker they are joining are required. The validity of such a residence permit matches that of the worker's residence permit.

Trips, renewal and the grace period

An extension is applied for 30 days before the term ends. If the details in the residence permit change, notify the exit and entry department within 10 days. Accommodation is registered with the police within 24 hours of check-in.

An application for extension is filed 30 days before the residence permit expires, with the exit and entry department of the police at the place of residence, together with documents confirming the reason for the extension. If the grounds are found sufficient, the term is extended and a new residence permit is issued; if the application is refused, the foreign national must leave China before the current document expires.

How it differs from the routes next to it

The comparison is built from the official terms of the routes themselves — the source links sit on their own pages.

	Work residence permit	Z work visa	R visa for foreign talents
Grounds	Employment in China	Employment	High-level qualifications
Work	You work for the employer named in the work permit	Work only for the sponsor in the approved position	Work for the designated employer / host
Residence	An extension is applied for 30 days before the term ends	Police registration within 24 hours	A residence permit is obtained after entry

What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship

Route to permanent residence

Permanent residence is granted to those who work in China for 4 consecutive years in a position from deputy general manager upwards or with a title from associate professor upwards, live in the country for at least 3 of those 4 years and pay taxes without violations. The decision takes up to 6 months. The fee is CNY 1,500 plus CNY 300 for the card.

Route to citizenship

China does not recognise dual citizenship. Citizenship is granted to close relatives of Chinese citizens, to those who have settled in China and on other lawful grounds. If approved, you lose your foreign citizenship.

Frequently asked questions about Work residence permit

Who can obtain a work residence permit in China?

Foreign nationals who entered on a Z work visa submit the work permit from the local labour and social security authority (or the authority for foreign experts) and a letter of confirmation from the employer. Those who entered on other visas — highly qualified specialists, urgently needed professionals and investors — submit documents showing compliance with the state standards for those categories.

How much does a work residence permit cost?

The fee depends on the validity of the document: CNY 400 for a residence permit of up to 1 year, CNY 800 for 1 to 3 years and CNY 1,000 for 3 to 5 years.

How long does it take to obtain the residence permit?

The decision is taken within the validity of the receipt of acceptance, and that period does not exceed 15 working days from the date the application is accepted.

Can the family come with the holder of a work residence permit?

Yes. The spouse, parents, parents-in-law and children under 18 enter on an S1 visa and apply for a residence permit for private affairs — its validity matches that of the residence permit of the worker they are joining.

How does the work residence permit differ from the study residence permit?

The study residence permit is obtained on an X1 visa on the basis of the educational institution's letter stating the period of study and a certificate of enrolment, and its validity matches the period of study. The work residence permit requires a work permit and a letter from the employer, and its validity depends on the applicant's qualifications and the status of the employing organisation — up to 5, 2 or 1 year.

Does the work residence permit lead to permanent residence in China?

Yes, under certain conditions. A foreign national who has held a position of deputy general manager or above, or an academic title of associate professor or above (or received an equivalent salary), for at least four consecutive years, and has actually lived in China for at least three of those four years with a clean tax record, may apply for permanent residence. The decision is taken within six months; the fee is CNY 1,500 for the application plus CNY 300 for producing the card.

Other ways to move to China

Every route in one list — migration programmes: China.

The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 7 August 2026.