HAIKOU /China/, September 15. /Haikou, the administrative center of the southern Chinese province of Hainan, has become the first city in China to issue work permits and residence permits to foreigners on the same day, the Hainan International Communication Network (HICN) reported.
Documents can now be obtained simultaneously in the Foreigners Comprehensive Service Window, which was created in 2020. This structure combined Haikou's Foreign Professionals Office and the city's Immigration Office in one place, reducing the processing time from 28 to 7 working days.
Previously, foreign professionals had to apply for a work permit and then apply for a residence permit. These documents were processed separately, which took quite a lot of time. Under the new rules, both applications are submitted at the same time, and it is now only necessary to visit the Foreigners Comprehensive Service Window once to receive the documents.
In recent years, the Haikou Foreign Professionals Office and the city's Immigration Department have developed measures to simplify the application process for work permits and residence permits. A service network for foreign professionals has been established with seven centers located both in the city and surrounding areas. A simpler application process is helping to attract more foreign talent. In the first half of 2023, 109 companies in Haikou started hiring foreign workers from 59 countries and regions around the world, including Russia, the US and Canada. A total of 432 work permits were issued, up 21.69% year-on-year.