On December 31, 2021,  the Beijing Municipal Science & Technology Commission, Administrative Commission of Zhongguancun Science Park, and Beijing Municipal Human Resource and Social Security Bureau released Announcement on Measures on Supporting Overseas Talents Starting Business and Innovating in Beijing. The announcement has been in effect since January 1, 2022. For more details on the procedure, please refer to the website of the Beijing Overseas Talents Center (https://www.8610hr.cn/).

Ⅰ. Encouraging PhD graduates with foreign nationalities to apply for talent introduction visa in Beijing (Type R)

For foreign PhD graduates that startup & innovation entities intend to introduce, they may apply for "Confirmation Letter for High-end Talents". With the confirmation letter, they can apply for a talent introduction visa (Type R) which is valid for10 years at most, and applies to spouses and children.

a. Application

PhD graduates with foreign nationalities who have an invitation from colleges and universities, scientific institutions and high-tech enterprises in Beijing region

b. Application requirements

Foreign talents with a PhD degree may apply if they’ve obtained it no later than 5 years

c. Materials required

Materials required to apply for "Confirmation Letter for High-end Talents" include the application form, invitation letter from domestic institutions or enterprise, passport, doctorate degree certificate, etc.

Ⅱ. Encouraging overseas talents who start businesses in Beijing to apply for work permit through the Science Park or startup incubator

For overseas talents in the startup phase, they can apply for a work permit through startup carriers like the Science Park and incubators.

a. Application

Overseas talents who are starting businesses in startup incubator carriers

Incubator carriers include national level incubators for technological enterprises; university science parks recognized by related administrative departments in the Beijing region, municipal level startup incubators demonstrative base, municipal level incubators for technological enterprises.

b. Application requirements

①Foreign talents who have been in the startup incubator and haven’t registered their enterprises during the start-up period.

②Basic requirements in the Notice on Issuing the Service Guide to the Foreigner's Work Permit in China (for Trial Implementation) (WZF [2017] No.36).

c. Application method

①Subject of application: The startup incubator is the applicant for the work permit of foreign entrepreneurial talents and shall be fully responsible for the recommended foreign talents during the start-up period.

②Application procedure: The startup incubator shall apply for the Notice of Work Permit for Foreigners and the Work Permit for Foreigners in accordance with the requirements in the Notice on Comprehensively Implementing the Work Permit System for Foreigners in China (WZF [2017] No. 40) and Notice on Issuing the Service Guide to the Foreigner's Work Permit in China (for Trial Implementation) (WZF [2017] No.36). If the  eligible applicant is in the country ( China ) and holds a valid visa, the startup incubator can just apply for the Work Permit for Foreigners in lieu of the applicant. The startup incubator shall submit the following documents during application: the application form, passport, certificate of no criminal record, medical examination certificate, and certificate of incubating foreign talents issued by the startup incubator.

③Management in later stage: The startup incubator shall handle the change, cancellation, extension and other procedures in a timely manner according to actual working conditions and assume the management responsibility of foreign talents. After the foreign talents have registered and set up enterprises, they shall re-apply for the work permit with their newly-registered enterprises as the subject of application. Prior to the expiry of the permit, the startup incubator should make relevant assessments and suggest extension or cancellation. In principle, such permit can only be extended once.

(Source: Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission, Administrative Commission of Zhongguancun Science Park)