China is betting on the K visa as a magnet for top tech talent. Will it be enough?
Beijing’s revamped entry scheme is the centrepiece of a quest to close a critical skills gap, but insiders say more barriers must come down
Computer science graduate Alain Saas is hoping a fourth time would be the charm to make his China dream come true.
As a youngster growing up in a small town in eastern France, the distant Asian country seemed a magical place. But trying to land a job in China has proved anything but enchanting.
Over the past 15 years, Saas has tried three times to find a suitable tech job in China, but in vain. The reasons ranged from low pay offers, visa issues or simply poor geopolitical timing.
But he has been feeling more optimistic lately. As China rolls out friendlier visa offers and appears poised to make more technological leaps, Saas – now in his forties –is ready to take his fourth shot.
“I am planning to double down on my search efforts next year after reaching HSK5 [working proficiency in Chinese],” said Saas, who is now on his second stint in Japan after working in Canada, the United States and across Europe.
As a global tech war intensifies the race for talent, Beijing has committed to becoming a magnet for the world’s skilled immigrants under its economic and social development blueprint for the next five years.