A draft Regulation on the Administration of Permanent Residence of Foreigners was posted online by the Ministry of Justice of the PRC to solicit public opinions at the end of February. The draft regulation has caused a huge stir in China once released. Regardless of the rights and wrongs of such draft regulation, Kaizen hereby summarizes the current valid polices for the application of permanent residence in China for your easy reference.

1. What kinds of foreigners can apply for permanent residence in China?
   
   

   According to the current regulations of the National Immigration Administration of the PRC, the following foreigners may apply for permanent residence in China:
   (1)	Foreign high-level talents, foreigners with outstanding contributions and foreigners urgently needed by China;
   (2)	Foreigners who have worked in China for at least 4 consecutive years, have resided in China for at least 6 months in each year, have an annual wage income not less than 6 times the average wage of the urban workers in the region where they work in the previous year, and have paid individual income tax not less than 20% of their annual wage income;
   (3)	Foreign Chinese who works in China with a doctor degree or has worked continuously for at least 4 years in a key development region of China and has resided for at least 6 months each year;
   (4)	Foreigners who have invested directly in China with stable investment and good tax record for 3 consecutive years.
   The spouses of the applicant and their children under the age of 18 may apply for the corresponding foreign permanent resident ID card at the same time.

   
   
2. The Validity of the Foreign Permanent Residence ID Card
   
   The validity of the foreign permanent resident ID card for foreigners at or above the age of 18 is 10 years, while the validity of the foreign permanent resident ID card for foreigners under the age of 18 is 5 years.
   
   
3. Specific Requirements
   
   Different cities in China have different specific requirements for foreigners to apply for permanent residence in China. Taking Shenzhen as an example, the specific requirements are follows:
   
   

   (1)	Foreign High-level Talents Foreign high-level talents who have obtained a reference letter issued by Shenzhen Qianhai authority or a reference letter issued by Shenzhen Municipality may apply for permanent residence in China.
   (2)	Foreigners Working in Shenzhen Foreigners who have worked in Shenzhen for at least 4 consecutive years and have resided in China for at least 6 months in each year, whose annual wage income (before tax) exceed RMB400,000 for 4 consecutive years and who have paid more than RMB70,000 individual income tax for the wage each year, may apply for permanent residence in China.
   (3)	Foreign Chinese Working in Shenzhen Foreign Chinese who has a doctor degree or above and work in a Shenzhen enterprise, who has worked for at least 4 consecutive years in a Shenzhen enterprise and has resided in China for at least 6 months in each year, may apply for permanent residence in China.
   (4)	Foreigners Investing in Shenzhen Foreign nature person who directly invests in Shenzhen with a total investment amount of USD1 million or above (the total investment amount for encouraged industries is USD500,000 or above) or invest in Shenzhen through a foreign enterprise controlled by the foreign nature person, may apply for permanent residence in China, if the investment is stable for 3 consecutive years and the tax record is good.

Download： Policies for the Application of Permanent Residence in China [PDF]