In an effort to recruit international talent in science and technology, China launched a new visa program on Wednesday. This is a component of its continuous endeavors to surpass the United States as a global leader in those fields.
The August announcement of the Chinese plan stands in sharp contrast to recent U.S. policy, which last month saw the Trump administration abruptly implement significant and costly reforms to its skilled worker visas.
According to official media, China’s new K visa greatly streamlines the immigration process for individuals who qualify.
In a comment article published on Tuesday, the state daily People’s Daily stated, “China has keenly seized this important opportunity and promptly introduced this policy against the backdrop of some countries retracting, turning inward, and sidelining international talent”.
The K visa does not require an invitation from a domestic employer or entity, unlike many other visa categories.
According to a report published in August by the state news outlet Xinhua, “K visas will offer more convenience to holders in terms of the number of permitted entries, validity period, and duration of stay”.
The precise age, educational background, and job experience requirements are yet unknown, but the official description for individuals who are eligible to apply is “young foreign scientific and technological talents”.
Visa holders will have the opportunity to “engage in exchanges in fields such as education, culture, science and technology”, according to Xinhua.
Across the Atlantic, the Trump administration’s sudden modifications to the H-1B visa process have rocked the US tech sector.
With the help of H-1Bs, businesses can hire foreign professionals with specialized talents, such scientists, engineers, and computer programmers, to work in the US for three years, with the possibility of a six year extension.
Although the tech sector makes extensive use of these visas, the new H-1B visa rules now necessitates a one-time $100,000 cost.
Nearly three quarters of the permits granted annually through a lottery system are to Indian nationals.
The article in People’s Daily on Tuesday criticized the “strange rumors” surrounding the new visa, claiming that they were causing “immigration problems” in China.
It stated that “we should have cultural confidence; the so-called ‘immigration crisis’ will not materialize”.
SOURCE: DAWN NEWS
