Doctor Liu Chen

Shanghai has approved 4 recommendation letters for the high-level foreign talent work permit and the holders can apply for the Chinese "Green Card" - permanent residence permit for foreigners after 3 years of work.

50-year-old American doctor Liu Chen received the first recommendation letter on Sept. 9, who was an associate professor at the Scripps Research Institute and founded two biological medicines companies in America. He came back to China in 2012 and started a bio medical technology company in Shanghai, researching and developing new drugs for cancer treatment which is synchronized with the United States.

According to the new policy, identified high-level foreign talents who have the recommendation letters can apply for the 5-year work residence permit at the Exit-Entry Administration Bureau of Shanghai Public Security Bureau and get the seal of "Talent". After three-year working period, the applicants recommended by the employing units can apply for the permanent residence permit for foreigners.

Before that, high-level foreign talents can only get common work permit which has the longest period of 5 years unless the person is one of the "Recruitment Program of Global Experts" of China.

The new and more open policy of overseas talent introduction has been implemented to promote the construction of Shanghai science and technology innovation center.

Since the launch in July 1, 2015, the service window for the identification of foreign high-level talents has received 856 telephones or visits. Recently, the identification work officially started and has received the application materials submitted by more than 10 enterprises which include multinational companies, state-run and private companies and expats-founded firms.

Editor: Wang Jiaye