Work visa restrictions

Comment on "Work visa proposals considered"(China Daily, April 25)

Your front page story left me confused about the thrust of those changes.

Current regulations were criticized as failing to attract qualified foreign experts yet at the same time it was implied that many foreigners with expertise were working illegally in the country. In both these cases it seemed that confusing and ineffective regulations made it difficult for foreign workers to come, or to remain, in the country.

In my view, there is another regulation whose application as well as its inconsistency poses problems.

Current retirement age restrictions for visa renewal mean that many qualified experts already in the country and productively employed must leave due to their age.

Rather than sending workers home who have proved their commitment to China, a rethinking of age restrictions seems in order; it could be that this is more important than the changes proposed to secure and retain qualified workers.

Experts are here; rather than sending them home and searching for more, why not make use of their skills?

Julia Schneider, via e-mail

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(China Daily 05/15/2012 page9)