working & doing business in china

Foreigners Working in China - Guide to Employer Registration
- Access to the Service System for Foreigners Working in China
- Registration Process for employers
- Guide to Employer Operations

Guide to Foreign Talents (Category A and Category B) for Application for the Notification Letter of Foreigners Work Permit and the Work Permit for Foreigners before Entering China
- Basic Requirements for Employers
- Basic Requirements for Applicants
- Legal Bases
- Application for the Notification Letter of Foreigner’s Work Permit before Entering China
- Application for the Work Permit for Foreigners after Entering China

Guide to Foreign Talents (Category A and Category B) for Application for the Work Permit for Foreigners in China
- Working in China above 90 days
- For Foreigners who apply for the Work Permit for foreigners due to the change of the employer / position
- Basic Requirements for Employers
- Basic Requirements for Applications
- Legal Bases

Guide to Extension of the Work Permit for Foreigners in China
- Legal Bases
- Required Documents
- Examination and Approval Period
- Reception Way and Time

Guide to Replacement of the Work Permit for Foreigners
- Legal Bases
- Required Documents
- Examination and Approval Period
- Reception Way and Time

Guide to Cancellation of the Work Permit For Foreigners
- Legal Bases
- Required Documents
- Documents required for cancellation of Work Permit for Foreigners due to the nationality change
- Documents required for cancellation of the Work Permit for Foreigners due to the change in employer or position
- Documents required for cancellation of the Work Permit for Foreigners due to the employer’s termination by law
- Examination and Approval Period
- Reception Way and Time

Guide to Change of the work permit for foreigners in China
- Legal Bases
- Required Documents
- Documents required for change of passport number
- Documents required for the title change
- Documents required for category change
- Examination and Approval Period
- Reception Way and Time
Can I apply for work visa without leaving China?
It depends on your citizenship and visa status. China allows certain nationalities and visa holders to apply for work visa without leaving the country. Please check with the nearest immigration office.
Can I register a company with a student visa in China?
Yes. Registering a company in China doesn’t require any specific visa. Literally anyone with clean background and of legal age can register a company in China. However, working for the same company and receiving a salary requires a work visa in China, i.e. before you get paid from your own company, you must change your student visa to work visa in China.
Can I register a company while working in China?
Yes. Registering a company in China while working for another company is permitted. However, foreigners are not allowed to work part time in China, therefore, receiving a salary from two sepearate companies is not permissible, i.e. company which sponsors your work visa is considered your employer and your job in that company is your full-time position, and you’re only allowed to work for that company. If you want to get paid from your own company, you’ll have to switch to your own company’s work visa.
How many work visas can my new company issue in China?
If a newly formed company China has enough financial resources – there’s no limit in the number of work visas it can sponsor. By “financial resources” we mean the company must have enough money to pay for the salaries of the foreign employees it sponsors work visas for. Therefore, from a practical point of view, when our clients form a company with 0 capital injections in China, their company can only sponsor 2 work visas at most, and those visas are for the company director and supervisor. NOTE: other employees cannot get a work visa if the company director hasn’t got have one.
Can a company shareholder apply for work visa in China?
No. Company shareholder(s) cannot apply for a work visa in China, unless they have a position in the company, for e.g. a person can be shareholder of the company and at the time the director of this company, and in this case he/she can apply for a work visa.
How can I change my work visa in China?
It really depends on the situation. But generally speaking, if you want to change your current work visa to a new work visa, then your current employer will have to cancel your work permit first. Once your work permit card is cancelled, your new employer (or the company you registered) will apply for a new work permit.
Can I travel in and out of China freely with my work visa?
Yes, work visa in China (Z visa) is a residence permit and it doesn’t have any restrictions for traveling. You can travel in and out of the country as many times as you want.
Can I bring my family when I have a work visa in China?
Yes, work visa holders in China are allowed to invite their family members to join them.
How long is the work visa in China valid for?
It depends. Like any other country, when you apply for a work visa in China, the immigration office will review your application and if necessary they call you for an interview. If the visa officer is satisfied with your application, then the average validity for the 1st work visa is 1 year (of course there are always exceptions – we’ve seen clients getting 2 or 3 year work visas in their first application). However, if the visa office is not satisfied, you might be given a shorter visa, it can be anywhere between 1 month and 6 months. If that’s the case, the immigration officers normally tell you what’s wrong with the application and they ask you to fix the issue and get back after the given timeframe (1-6 months)
Can I get my work visa in Guangzhou if my company is registered in Shanghai?
If your company is new and doesn’t have any branches in Guangzhou, then the answer is no. In order to sponsor you a work visa in another city or region than the place of registration, your company must have a registered office in that city or region in China.
Can students work in China?
Generally speaking no, student visa holders cannot work in China. However, in Tier 1 cities of China, if you study at one of the top universities, you might be able to get permission from your university and the immigration office (visa office) if you find. apart time job on campus. We highly recommend speaking to the local immigration office before you take up any employment.
Aliexpress store
If you want to sell your products on AliExpress Global Platform (sell globally) then the first thing you have to do is to register a trading company in China.
AliExpress is currently working with 5 other countries too, and you can register your company in of those countries as well: Italy, France, Spain, Turkey, Russia. However, opening a store using the company registered in one of the AliExpress partner countries means that your store will be able to sell in that region only, for e.g. opening an AliExpress store using a Turkish company will let you sell in Turkey only. Get in touch with us today and let us create your AliExpress strategy based on your requirements.

China Incorporation
if you want to enter the Chinese market, you must consider registering a local entity – any other option will simply be a waste of your time and resources.

Trademark Registration
Doing business in any country, including China, without first getting your trademark registered, is extremely risky. Consequences can be disastrous for any company.

Chinese Contracts
One of the common mistakes among foreign entrepreneurs and companies in China is ignoring the importance of a well drafted Chinese contract.

Tax Filings in China
Second most common mistake among foreign entrepreneurs and companies in China is the wrong assumption that the tax filings are similar to what they had in their countries.
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Phone
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