Shanghai zone improves convenience for foreign talent

The Zhangjiang National Innovation Demonstration Zone in Shanghai is working to formulate more favorable policies and convenient measures to attract talent from overseas and at home, said officials of the zone.

A new service site for entry and exit procedures will begin operating in the city's suburban Jiading district soon, bringing the total number of such service sites to 19, the officials said.

In the past, overseas talents who work and live in the city had to visit the city's entry and exit department to handle such procedures. Now, in cooperation with the city's public security authorities, they can visit the nearest site.

As Shanghai works to make itself a science and innovation center with global influence, the demonstration zone, the gathering point for the city's high-tech companies and scientific resources, has played an essential role.

With 22 branch zones and 124 industrial and high-tech parks across the city, the zone has more than 1,400 development and research facilities. More than 2,800 of the zone's 70,000 businesses are high-tech enterprises.

"Talent is the key for the city to promote scientific innovation. Attracting more talent from both overseas and home, and providing more convenience, are important issues," according to a source from the demonstration zone.

Earlier this year, the Ministry of Public Security announced a series of measures to accelerate the pace of building Shanghai into a major science and innovation center. The measures include lowering the exit and entry threshold to attract more overseas talent. Such personnel who work and live in the city can enjoy preferential policies regarding visa applications and residence permits.

"The new policy has indeed brought more convenience to our employees with overseas passports," said Wan Lijuan, an HR manager from Shanghai United Imaging Medical Technology Co in Jiading district. Wan said the cumbersome entry and exit procedures had long been a headache for employees from abroad.

"Many high management and core personnel in our company are back from overseas countries and have overseas passports. They and their families have to renew their residence permits each year. Under the new policy, they can apply for residence permits that are valid for five years," Wan said.