China - China is moving ahead to improve its foreign permanent residence card – the Chinese Green Card – to attract more international talent to boost entrepreneurship and contribute to economic growth.

This week IOM’s China Liaison Office organized a briefing on the Chinese Green Card reforms for Beijing-based consular staff from 14 European Union (EU) member states, Switzerland and Iceland.

The workshop was facilitated by Dr. Huiyao (Henry) Wang, President and Founder of the Centre for China and Globalization (CCG). The CCG is China’s leading think-tank dedicated to researching the globalization of Chinese talent and attracting highly-skilled migrant workers to China.

China introduced permanent resident permits in 2004 and recently introduced new revisions including extending the categories for eligible candidates; lifting the maximum age limits; and refining the social welfare provisions to improve the cards’ usability and acceptance by Chinese institutions and service providers in banking, transportation and other sectors. 

Dr. Wang described a range of talent attraction initiatives being implemented by the Chinese Government at national and regional levels. These include the Thousand Talent Scheme and special Green Card schemes in Shanghai and Guangzhou. 

IOM Head of Office in China, Pär Liljert welcomed the Chinese Government’s continued interest in attracting foreigners and members of the Chinese diaspora to come to China to work, study, conduct research, develop entrepreneurial projects or simply seek family reunification.

The briefing was part of the EU-China Dialogue on Migration and Mobility Support Project, which is implemented by IOM and International Labour Organization (ILO), and funded by the European Union Partnership Instrument.

For further information, please contact Etienne Micallef at the IOM Liaison Office in China, Email: Tel: +86 138 1120 9875, emicallef@iom.int