In getting a Working visa, we need a Work Permit from the Labor Bureau.

However, the latest requirement for Work permit requires a RMB 300,000 balance in a local bank, before the Work permit is approved.

This requirement will affect all existing and new companies' owner and foriegn staff.

It seems the Labor Bureau wants to have more money into China and limit the foreigners population here.

Many foreigners will be FORCED to leave Kunming / China; especially those working or have companies here.

Are you saying that a foreigner employed for the first time in China will have to deposit 300,000 into a local bank account? Sounds pretty unlikely, especially if you are an English teacher, have a start-up business or are working in any field other than something high-end (government etc.)

You can always work illegally; no one cares anyway. As long as your visa is valid, it should be OK - for example, you can work on a student visa, no matter what the law says - no one cares or can be bothered checking out your status - there is absolutely no way for anyone to know what you are doing if you are teaching English privately, for example.

I have a feeling you're misreading the requirements.

First off, is this deposit required of the company, or of the foreigner in question?

My work permit (3rd renewal) is now in the works, and they haven't mentioned any of this to me.

From what I understand, they have thresholds for companies allowed to hire foreigners, and this may be one. I own my own WFOE, so I can get a work permit for myself, but I do not have enough registered capital to hire other foreigners legally.

The 300,000 is probably the minimum registered capital for a company to hire foreigners (other than the owners).

Perhaps you could find the relevant regulation and post a link or the Chinese text?

I heard about this too, but as far as I understand its for first time applicants and its for the company to cough up the money. I guess the government thinks that companies who can employ a laowai can afford to have 300K in the bank for the 3 months or so it takes to process the paperwork.

Again its a Kunming government response to get a better class of laowai (read RICH) into Kunming that will force more people into working illegally.

I was just going to say that the minimum registered capital of a company that allows foreigners to work for them should be 300,000. The OP probably didn't read the requirements carefully, because clearly, that would be an impossible requirement for an individual.

My understanding is that work permits are handled by Yunnan Province not Kunming City. A work permit gets you to the next step a residency permit at the public safety bureau which also acts as a visa. The rules regulations and interpretations of same change on a regular basis. Foreign Registered offices are now required to present a home country Chinese consulate certification for both your business and foreign business bank. My bank letter notarization of the notarization, notarization's certified just cost me about $1000 to get done.