'Green card' process may get easier - People's Daily Online - Liu said the draft mostly targets immigrants in the field of technology who will be able to apply for permanent residency after living in China for 10 consecutive years, provided they have spent at least nine months each year in the country. They must be employed, have accommodation and a good tax record. The success of their application will no longer be dependent on the position they hold.
Reading on further
[quoted person] 'said it is sensible to require a minimum of 10 years, since China is among the "hottest destinations" in the world.
Green cards provide foreigners with a sense of security, especially for those married with children.
"Green card applicants usually have devoted a big chunk of their life to China and deserve the convenience of permanent residency," she said.'
So not much hope for any non-tech person with a family at present. Hopefully this is at least a beginning.
I can see a lot more out migration of Chinese talent, like my wife. It is easier for her to settle legally in Europe than it is for me to settle here in China.
On the plus side, China does not appear to have a problem with fake refugee claimants like Canada does!
Its great that you can take a "plus" from something apparently negative.
And it ain't just Canada with that particular problem...
Just remember the new regulations, made in Beijing, will be handed down to Yunnan to implement, process and interpert just as they are now.
Lets see they say 10 years in China. Consecutive years? Total years? What if you lived some of those years in Taiwan, Macao or Hong Kong? What if you are self employed or not in a technology area? It should be very interesting to see what "qualifies you" for the card in China. Just remember all governments do this. Ask any Chinese what it takes to get into America to live and work there.
I know in my case, and the country I come from, that if a Chinese person were in the same situation as I, not only would they have had a "green card" years ago, they would also have a passport for their adopted country.
" Just remember all governments do this"
If by "do this" you mean "have regulations" I agree. If you mean that all countries are approximately equivalent in the way they deal with immigration and "alien affairs" then I beg to differ. There are significant differences.
Immigration in America is very sad. People that try to do it right are still waiting and waiting and waiting while the 'illegals' can get a driver's license, housing, food stamps, etc.
Interesting thing i read several months ago they are granting amnesty for foreign students who went to college in the usa because they want to keep that talent in the usa and are hoping they will stay versus returning to china, etc. Also talking about giving legal status to all the illegals working in usa now and those of us who married chinese women have to fight like hell just to take our wives home to meet our family.
@tallamerican YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's freaking annoying the hoops you have to go through to take your wife to America to see the family. That's why I have no plans to go back to the USA.
Chingis, I mean all countries have different rules and regulations that are enforced differently. They often start as simple rules and become more complex especially as some folks try to work around the rule or cheat on it. Governments normal answer to anyone violating the rules or finding loop holes is to make more rules on top of the rules. Each country sets its rules according to its own circumstances. In China's case much of the law is very new and is adopting to rapidly changing circumstances. I am not making any excuses for China here just explaining. America gives out many thousands of "Green Cards" every year yet they too are very hard to get. China gave out 4,000 or 5,000 10 year cards since 2004. They know they should change and are doing so. I mean 20 or 30 years ago how many immigrants wanted to come to China and live. China can be especialy difficult for us English speaking persons who want to live and work here. It was our choice. Should it be easier? Yes of course. I will remind you all that those who have deliberately broken the rules have made it even harder for those who try tofollow the rules.
