Will China’s new visa targeting STEM talents give it an edge over the world?

Rahdar Hussain Afridi, a Pakistani national studying for a PhD in robotics at Peking University, had been worried about whether he could stay on after graduating in January.

He hopes to secure a job in China, but the recruitment process can take a while and his student visa, which might expire soon after graduation, does not come with a work permit.

China’s newly introduced “young talent” K visa for STEM professionals has brought him “great relief”.

“I am really happy to hear about this visa,” said Afridi, 29. “I have been living in China for the past six years, and I am one visa away from being asked to leave. I have been living with such huge uncertainty.”

Taking effect on October 1, the new visa category will offer greater flexibility and fewer barriers to global professionals in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Observers said it signalled a shift in China’s immigration policy and a strategic move to bolster innovation and competitiveness in its hi-tech sectors.

The strategy also aims to capitalise on a more restrictive immigration climate elsewhere in the world, particularly in the United States, according to analysts.

But whether the plan would work remained to be seen, they cautioned, while calling for effective policy support.

South China Morning Post