Shanghai Relaxes Permanent Residence Criteria for Applicants
Following the release of new criteria for permanent residence applications for working staff on May 1, 2023, Shanghai has recently updated its permanent residence application criteria for applicants with a PhD degree.To get more news about
Legal assistance for expats in Shanghai, you can citynewsservice.cn official website.
Any expatriate with a doctorate degree who is currently working in Shanghai is eligible to apply for permanent residency under the new criteria. Previously, only overseas Chinese were eligible to apply for this category. This relaxation of the criteria represents Shanghai's increased efforts to attract more high-level and highly skilled talent to work and live in the city.
Similar to the changes in the permanent residency application for professionals, foreigners with doctoral degrees will now have to provide a clean criminal record from China in addition to the clean criminal record from their home country.
The foreign spouse and unmarried children under the age of 18 of expatriates with a doctorate degree may apply for permanent residence together, provided they are in accordance with Chinese laws, are in good health and have no criminal record.
When an expatriate with a doctorate degree applies for permanent residency in Shanghai, what documents are required?
3. PhD diploma and authentication certificate
China Higher-education Verification Report (via China Higher-education Student Information Website or Shanghai Students Affairs Centre) is also required if the diploma was issued by a domestic educational institution.
If the diploma was issued by an overseas educational institution, a Foreign Academic Degree Verification issued by the Chinese Service Centre for Scholarly Exchange (CSCSE) (through the Overseas Academic Degree Accreditation System of the Ministry of Education) must also be submitted.
4. Valid work permit (or employment permit, foreign expert certificate)
5. Employment Certificate issued by the employer 1 copy
6. Employer's business licence (counterpart) or relevant registration certificate, its online annual report for the most recent year, Certificate of Approval for Establishment of Enterprises with Foreign Investment or Receipt for Establishment of Enterprises with Foreign Investment or Receipt for Change of Enterprises with Foreign Investment (If the document can be provided, not required for domestic enterprises) 2 copies each.
7. A Health Check Certificate issued by a domestic Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Agency (or by foreign medical institutions verified by the Embassy/Consulate General of China).
The health certificate should be issued within the last 6 months.
8. A Criminal Record/Background Check showing no trace or history of any kind must be verified by the Embassy/Consulate General of China.
The Record Check must be issued by the relevant competent authority at national level and must state the result of the verification of the applicant's criminal record.
The name on the Record Check must match the name on the valid passport. If the applicant has changed names, the previous names should be noted on the Record Check.
If the applicant has lived in a country/region outside the passport-issuing country for two consecutive years or more after the age of 18, a clear criminal record check from that country/region is also required.
The record(s) should have been issued within the last 6 months (if the period of validity noted on the record check is less than 6 months, the note on the record check will prevail).
