Multiple-entry visas, valid for up to five years, will soon be on offer in a bid to attract more top talent.
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The Exit and Entry Administration Law, which comes into effect in July, will also introduce a six-month visa for short-term hires.
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Zhang Jianguo, director of the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs, said on Tuesday that foreigners must already be employed to apply for the visa.
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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is helping authorities implement the visas.
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"We hope the visas will encourage more international experts to work here," Zhang said.
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He declined to elaborate on what criteria applicants will need to meet.
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Liu Guofu, an immigration law specialist at the Beijing Institute of Technology, said the government is targeting key groups.
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These include candidates with management experience at leading multinationals, specialists in education and science-related fields and renowned figures in culture and sport.
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Ministerial departments have been gauging feedback from specialists, including Liu, since late 2012.
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About 550,000 foreign experts were working in China in 2012, Zhang said.
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Adam Lane, a 31-year-old Briton, has been working in Beijing for four years and welcomes the visa.
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"I need to have my visa renewed every year," he said. "This is not a problem, but the new visa will make things easier. I will probably apply for it."
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Liu said the visa change will help attract international experts, but sharp focus must be maintained to get the right people for the economy.
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"The regulation should list specific fields and expertise that the country urgently needs," he said.Being employed in China should not be a prerequisite, Liu suggested.Â