Jobs in China for Belarusians

How to find employment in the People's Republic of China for Belarusians, rules for safe travel and stay in the country.

China's rapid economic growth contributes to the development of the labor market, which requires specialists in various fields. Working in China предполагает knowledge of English, but don't neglect the opportunity to learn Chinese — it will give you a chance to get a higher-paying job. The level of salary depends on the city where you will work. You can find a job in China on websites that offer employment. Most often these are Chinese sites, but some ads can be found on Russian portals where you can post your resume and other information in the "looking for work in China" section. As an option, you can go to China as a tourist, live there and take a closer look, understand from your own experience what life and work in China are like. You can even go through several interviews (show your abilities, language skills). However, be careful when concluding contracts with little-known agencies. Embassies also inform about this.

The preliminary stage of employment

To plan the optimal number of labor migrants, the Ministry of Labor Resources and Social Security of the PRC, together with other departments of the country, annually determines the list of permissible jobs for foreign citizens and the criteria for their hiring. At the same time, the general requirement of the legislation for all employers in the PRC when hiring foreigners is the absence or acute shortage of local specialists or their insufficient qualifications. Thus, the employer has the right to hire a foreigner only when there is an urgent need, when there is a shortage of specific specialists on the local labor market and provided that these professions (positions) do not violate relevant state restrictions.

In addition, the following requirements must be met when hiring:

• having a Chinese employer willing to hire a foreigner;
• the candidate has the professional skills and practical experience required to perform the proposed work;
• reaching the age of 18;
• good health (after arriving in the PRC, a medical examination is required);
• no criminal record;
• having a valid passport or other international travel document that replaces the passport.

In the process of coordinating employment, the Chinese employer is obliged to fill out the Application Form for Employment of a Foreigner and submit it to the competent authority of the PRC together with the following documents:

• resume of the foreign citizen to be hired;
• letter of intent to hire a foreign citizen;
• explanation of the reasons for hiring a foreign citizen;
• a certificate (diploma, certificate) confirming that the candidate has the special skills (qualifications) necessary to perform the work;
• information about the state of health of a foreign citizen;
• other documents provided for by legislation and by-law normative legal acts.

After the competent industry authority of the PRC approves the application, the employer is obliged to submit documents for the employment of a foreigner to the administrative body in the field of labor at the location of the employer. In accordance with the recommendations of the central industry authorities and the demand in the local labor market, the application is analyzed, and if it is justified, the employer is issued a license from the Ministry of Labor of the PRC (AlienEmploymentLicense). Enterprises with foreign investment are entitled to apply directly to the local licensing authority in the field of labor.

A foreign citizen may be exempt from obtaining a license if:

• he is hired as part of projects of cooperation and exchange between the PRC and another state in accordance with an agreement (agreement) concluded by the PRC with the government of another state or an international organization;
• the foreign citizen is the general representative or representative in an accredited representative office of a foreign enterprise in the territory of the PRC.

The salary paid by the employer to the foreign citizen hired cannot be lower than the minimum wage in the given territory. In accordance with the PRC Law on Social Insurance, foreign citizens and their employers are obliged to pay contributions to basic pension insurance, basic medical insurance, unemployment insurance, industrial injury insurance, and maternity insurance.

Labor disputes arising between the foreign citizen hired and the employer are resolved in accordance with the PRC Labor Law and the PRC Law on Mediation and Arbitration of Labor Disputes.

Obtaining a visa

To work in China, foreign citizens must obtain a category Z visa, which entitles them to work.

An employer who has permission to employ a foreign citizen must send the license and a letter of invitation to the foreign citizen being hired through an authorized organization (official visa agent). Sending the license directly to a foreign citizen is not allowed.

A foreign citizen holding a work license and an invitation letter from a Chinese company must apply for a professional (work) visa Z (or R, in the case of an invitation by state authorities for rare highly qualified specialists) at a diplomatic mission of the PRC abroad with their passport.

Exception. Foreign citizens may be exempt from obtaining a license if one of the following circumstances applies:

• foreign technical specialists and management specialists who are hired and will receive salaries directly from the PRC Government, as well as foreign technical and management specialists holding high technical titles or relevant certificates (certificates, diplomas) confirming the presence of special skills and recognized by a foreign or international technical authority or industry association, and also holding a foreign expert certificate issued by the Bureau of Foreign Experts Affairs of the PRC;
• foreign citizens working in the field of commercial cultural and artistic performances (creative workers) and holding a temporary permit to conduct commercial performances issued by the Ministry of Culture of the PRC.

In these cases, a work visa is issued based on a letter from the Foreign Affairs Office of the relevant province, an invitation letter from the authorized organization, and documents confirming its registration with the trade and industry administration authorities; permits from the Ministry of Culture of the PRC.

Processing of documents by a foreigner after arrival in the PRC. Work activity permit.

After a foreigner's arrival in China, the employer must apply to the licensing authority within 15 days of entry to issue them a work activity permit (AlienEmploymentPermit) and the Foreign Citizen Employment Registration Form.

The permit is issued based on the license and the employment contract concluded between the employer and the employee (the contract period cannot exceed 5 years but can be renewed) and is valid only within the territory established by the licensing authority.

Within 30 days of entering the PRC, a foreign citizen who has obtained a work activity permit must apply with this document to the local public security authority to obtain a residence permit (ResidencePermit, inserted into the passport). The validity period of the residence permit in the PRC is usually determined by the validity period of the permit and is not less than 90 days but not more than 5 years.

Administrative authorities in the field of labor conduct an annual verification of certificates. The employer is obliged to apply to the licensing authority annually (at least 30 days before the expiration of the annual period of work) for the annual verification of the certificate. If the verification is not carried out, the certificate automatically ceases to be valid.

Upon expiration of the labor contract, the foreign citizen's certificate also ceases to be valid simultaneously. If necessary, the employer must apply to the labor administration within 30 days from the date of expiration of the previous labor contract with an application for extension of the employment period and go through the procedure for extending the certificate.

After the final termination of the labor contract, the employer is obliged to promptly inform the labor and public security authorities about this, return the foreign citizen's certificate and his documents granting the right to reside in the PRC, and also arrange for the departure of the person abroad with the public security authority.

Sanctions against foreign citizens related to illegal employment

Citizens of the Republic of Belarus traveling to China for work must have a work visa, which is issued at the Chinese Embassy in Belarus. If you entered the country without a work visa and are engaged in labor activity, you are working illegally, which is a violation of Chinese legislation and can lead to deportation.

If you work illegally, you will not be able to receive medical care and other social benefits. You will become completely dependent on your employer.

If cases of illegal employment of foreigners are detected, Chinese citizens and legal entities are obliged to immediately inform the public security authorities of the country.

Illegal work in the PRC is recognized as:

• work in the absence of valid employment documents (license for the employer, certificate for the employee) and residence permit in connection with work in the PRC;
• work outside the territory specified in the employment documents (if a foreign citizen leaves the territory subordinate to the original licensing authority or changes the employer or type of occupation, the foreign citizen must re-apply for a license and certificate);
• work for an employer not specified in the employment certificate (i.e., the employer where the foreign citizen is employed in the PRC must be the employer specified in the certificate of that foreign citizen);
• work beyond the scope of the period or position provided for by the rules for combining work and study in the PRC for foreign students.

Employment of a foreign citizen in the PRC is considered illegal if they do not have a residence permit in connection with work or if they do not have a work permit, regardless of whether a labor contract was concluded with the foreign citizen.