Recently, Guangzhou launched its latest "Talent Green Card" policy, announcing that 10 types of Chinese and foreign talent can apply for talent green cards. In addition to highly skilled talent, those who have a master's degree from the world's top 300 universities, managers or technical experts of key projects, or those whose annual salary is 6 times higher than the average social wage of Guangzhou can apply for a talent green card.

After obtaining the "Foreigner Work Permit", foreigners can enjoy 15 benefits, including applying for work-type residence permits with a minimum validity period of 90 days and a maximum validity period of 5 years. Read on to find out more details.

The green card has also fallen into 2 categories—A Card and B Card. Among them, 6 types of talent can apply for A Card and enjoy 15 benefits, and 4 types of talent can apply for B Card and enjoy 3 benefits.

Up to now, Guangzhou has issued over 13,000 green cards to people with talents, of which more than 10% are overseas talents.

Who are qualified to apply for an A Card?

1. High-level and highly skilled talent identified or audited by Guangzhou Municipality.

2. Overseas talent with experience in overseas work, study and start-up businesses.

3. Those who have postdoctoral research work experience, or have a postgraduate degree in general higher education in universities and scientific research institutes (including military research institutes) and have obtained a doctorate, or have a postgraduate degree of top 300 universities in the world and have obtained a master's degree or above, or have an undergraduate degree of top 200 universities in the world and have obtained a bachelor's degree or above.

4. Serving as a middle or senior manager or a technical expert in the main organizers of Guangzhou's annual key projects, or the main organizers of Guangzhou's key projects of strategic leading industries, or the enterprises recognized by Guangzhou Municipality, or investment projects of key industries introduced by Guangzhou Municipality.

5. Foreign (overseas) talent whose annual wages and salaries are not less than 6 times the average social wage of Guangzhou in the previous year and who have paid individual income tax of more than 120,000 RMB in the year after the annual settlement.

6. Talent who meet the needs of the economic and social development of Guangzhou and have special skills identified by relevant departments.

Who are qualified to apply for a B Card?

1. Talent who work in Guangzhou for no more than 6 months each year or have cooperative relations with Guangzhou's relevant departments.

2. Talent who work in Guangzhou's government departments and public institutions for no more than 6 months.

3. Talent who start businesses or work in Guangzhou-Foshan High-quality Development and Integration Pilot Zone, Guangzhou-Qingyuan Special Economic Cooperation Zone and other regions for 6 months every year. The specific number and list of personnel who apply for a talent green card according to this condition shall be determined by the municipal talent affairs department.

4. Talent who meet the talent application requirements of each district in Guangzhou.

A Card holders can enjoy 15 benefits, mainly including the following 6 situations:

1. After obtaining the "Foreigner Work Permit", foreigners can apply for work-type residence permits with a minimum validity period of 90 days and a maximum validity period of 5 years. Those who meet the requirements of the foreign talent visa policy can be renewed for zero-time, one-time, two-time or multiple-time R visas with a validity period of no more than 5 years and a stay period of no more than 180 days.

2. Cardholders can apply for ordinary passports, Exit-Entry Permit for Travelling to and from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan, and various endorsements in Guangzhou in accordance with regulations.

3. High-level overseas talent and technical experts who return to China to settle down or work in China for one year or more can enjoy customs clearance and tax exemption policies in accordance with regulations for a reasonable amount of scientific research, teaching and personal use items.

4. Cardholders who meet the conditions for household registration in Guangzhou can enjoy a green channel when going through relevant procedures.

5. Cardholders can apply for talent apartments or shared property housing.

6. Cardholders can enjoy a green channel when applying for a residence permit.

B card holders can enjoy 3 benefits, mainly including depositing and withdrawing housing provident funds, applying for a motor vehicle driving license, and purchasing houses. Foreigners or overseas Chinese can purchase a house for self-occupation in accordance with relevant state regulations.

How to apply for a Guangzhou Talent Green Card?

Applicants should fill out the form and submit the documents (original and copy) to the Guangzhou Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau (http://rsj.gz.gov.cn/) by themselves or the company they work for. The original documents will be returned after verification.

Note: The English translation of policy details is for reference purposes only. In case of any discrepancy between the two versions, the Chinese version shall prevail.