In FocusFor China’s aspiring foreign workers, getting a job is only half the battle
Beijing’s rigid visa points system and strict sponsorship rules frustrate young expats, but most are still undeterred in their job search
Even as an undergraduate in his native Barcelona, Aitor knew he wanted to work in China.
After moving to Shanghai to complete a master’s degree, he had what he came for: a supply-chain job in the bustling financial centre. What Aitor – a nickname, requested to protect the identity of his employer – did not expect was that getting a job would be the easy part.
But Aitor’s Chinese language proficiency provided a way around this hurdle. He could search on Boss Zhipin, one of the country’s largest recruitment apps, which Aitor said was “not very friendly for foreigners” and not known to most expats.
Then came the real challenge: the visa. A points-based system for qualification, the overlapping categories and the volume of documentation involved have made obtaining a work permit a longer-running problem than the job search ever was.
“Visa applications are complicated, especially working visas, and I’m still in the process six months after my application,” Aitor said. “The amount of papers needed makes it very complicated.”