Greater China residents get improved access to Mainland jobs

The Chinese government has approved a motion to waive work permit requirements for residents of Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Macau.

Previously, mainland enterprises which wished to employ people from any of these three regions were required to apply for permits which had to be renewed every two years.

As part of this process, employers were required to prove that candidates were filling positions for which qualified local candidates had not been found.

As such, the permits were not “portable” – and the process had to be repeated for every every new Hong Kong, Taiwan or Macau resident that was hired.

However, the documentation required for the permit application was fairly straightforward, comprising basics such as the employer’s business license and the employee’s health certificate. The permits were also processed at the city-level, rather than federal.

The Chinese Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security is now looking into worker’s rights and benefits for such employees.

“Following the abolishment, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security will introduce supporting measures to further facilitate Hong Kong and Macau residents to work and start a business on the mainland,” said China’s State Council, in a statement.