
At a Glance
Residents of Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macao working in Mainland China will no longer be required to obtain a Work Permit based on a nationwide policy to be effective in the near future. Instead of applying for a work permit, these residents may need to complete a registration process in China. Guangzhou, Wuhan and Jiangmen have already adopted this policy. The government is expected to release more details on this policy change by the end of August.
The situation
According to a State Council announcement, residents of Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macao working in Mainland China will no longer require a Work Permit, starting sometime in the near future.
A closer look
Instead of applying for a work permit, these nationals may need to complete a registration process in China, the details of which are not yet published.
At this time, Guangzhou, Wuhan and Jiangmen have already adopted this policy, but residents of Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macao still require a Work Permit to work in other cities in China.
Looking ahead
The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security is expected to publish related regulations and compliance rules shortly. An updated alert will be published when more information is available.
Fragomen in China is Fragomen (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., operating exclusively as an immigration consultancy and not as a law firm in China. This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].
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