China: new pilot project to assess foreign skills

As from November 1^st, 2016, Chinese authorities will introduce a new scoring system called “two certificates integration” on a pilot basis so as to assess and grade foreign professionals according to their skills and their eligibility to work and stay in China. This has been reported on the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs website on Friday, September 9^th.

This system is primarily intended to simplify the work permit issuance process by merging the current permit application process with the "rare expert" work permit in order to standardize the regulation of foreign workers in the country. Without giving more details, the report also mentions a reduction in paper formalities.

The new pilot system should thus impose restrictions on certain categories of foreign workers and could also limit the number of foreign nationals who already hold a work permit. New applicants, as well as those who are already on the spot, will be classified into three categories: A - representing the best talent, B - representing professional talents and C - comprising non-skilled workers and those working in the services industry.

Points will be awarded according to different criteria, namely salary earned in China, the level of education, number of years of experience in China, age, language level and location. Expatriates with scoring at least 85 points will therefore fit in category A while those obtaining between 60 and 85 points will be classified in category B. Finally, all those scoring less than 60 points will be found in the category C.

Initially, this pilot project should be implemented in Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai and the provinces of Hebei, Sichuan, Guangdong, Shandong and Anhui. It will then be extended to the rest of the country by March 2017. However, during this period work permits that have already been delivered, including the Foreign Expert Certificate and the Alien Employment Permit, remain valid.