- Since the unified foreign-work-permit system (全面实施外国人来华工作许可制度, 外专发〔2017〕40号), China classifies foreign workers into three categories — A (high-end), B (professional), C (other) — and issues a single “Foreigner’s Work Permit” (外国人工作许可证) with a lifelong “one person, one number”.
自外国人来华工作许可制度全面实施（外专发〔2017〕40号）以来，中国将外籍人员分为 A（高端）、B（专业）、C（其他）三类，并核发”一人一号、终生不变”的《外国人工作许可证》。- Category A has no quota; B is market-demand limited; C is quota-managed. Classification drives eligibility for fast-track (“green channel”) processing and maximum permit length (up to 5 years for A).
A 类无数量限制，B 类按市场需求限制，C 类实行配额管理。分类决定能否走”绿色通道”快捷办理及最长许可期限（A 类最长 5 年）。- Two main paths to A/B: the recognised-achievement criteria (e.g., Nobel/int’l awards, Fortune-500 senior roles, innovation/entrepreneurship) and the points system (计点积分制), where 85+ points = A and 60+ = B.
认定为 A/B 有两条主路径：公认成就标准（如诺贝尔奖/国际奖项、世界 500 强高管、创新创业）与计点积分制——85 分以上为 A，60 分以上为 B。- Salary is a proxy for talent tier: in many cities an annual pay ≥6× the local average qualifies as A, and ≥4× as B — so compensation design directly affects work-permit category.
薪酬是人才层级的代理指标：多数城市年薪≥当地平均工资 6 倍可认定 A 类，≥4 倍可认定 B 类——因此薪酬设计直接影响工作许可分类。- The employer must be lawfully established, without serious dishonesty records, and the post must be genuinely needed and not violate regulations; the foreigner must be ≥18, healthy, with no criminal record and the required skills.
用人单位须依法设立、无严重失信记录，岗位须确属需要且不违反相关规定；外籍员工须年满 18、健康、无犯罪记录并具备相应技能。- A work permit alone is not enough — the foreigner also needs a work-type residence permit; the two-step “permit then residence” sequence is the standard onboarding flow.
仅有工作许可不够——外籍员工还需工作类居留许可；”先许可、后居留”两步是标准的入职流程。- Practical moves: confirm category early (it shapes timeline and documents), use the online “Foreigner Work Permit Management Service System” via the national HRSS portal, and keep the original permit safe as it is required for residence and re-entry.
实操建议：尽早确认分类（其决定时限与材料）、通过全国人社政务服务平台使用”外国人来华工作管理服务系统”、妥善保存原件（居留与再入境均需）。
Hiring Foreign Talent in China: the work-permit classification (A/B/C) and points system | 在中国聘用外籍人才：工作许可分类（A/B/C）与积分制
Overview
Bringing a foreign national onto your China team is not a single application — it is a categorisation exercise. China’s unified foreign-work-permit system sorts foreign workers into three classes (A/B/C) and the class you land in determines how fast you are processed, what documents you need, and how long the permit can last.
This guide explains the A/B/C framework, the two routes to classification (recognised achievement vs. points), the employer and candidate eligibility gates, and the practical onboarding sequence — grounded in 外专发〔2017〕40号, the *Trial Classification Standard for Foreigners Working in China*, and local implementation rules.
The A/B/C framework
Under the unified system:
- Category A — Foreign High-end Talent (外国高端人才): scientists, tech leaders, international entrepreneurs, and specialised “high-precision, urgent” talent. No quota. Eligible for the “green channel” and “tolerance” (容缺) acceptance; permits can run up to 5 years.
- Category B — Foreign Professional Talent (外国专业人才): professionals in demanded fields, generally with a bachelor’s degree plus two years’ experience; market-demand limited.
- Category C — Other Foreign Personnel (其他外国人员): meets domestic labour-market needs under relevant policies — temporary/short-term (≤90 days) workers, quota-managed groups (e.g., government-exchange interns, eligible foreign graduates).
The single Foreigner’s Work Permit (外国人工作许可证) replaces the old separate expert and employment certificates, with a lifelong “one person, one number”.
Route 1 — Recognised achievement (A) and the category thresholds (B)
Many A-class criteria are fixed, well-known benchmarks: Nobel or major international award laureates; members of national academies; senior roles at Fortune-500 headquarters/regions; professors at leading universities; innovation/entrepreneurship founders with qualifying IP or investment; and outstanding young talent (e.g., postdoctoral researchers at top institutions). A-class individuals may be exempt from age, education and experience limits.
B-class covers bachelor’s-degree-plus-two-years professionals, internationally certified skilled workers, foreign-language teachers (native-speaker norm), and those paid ≥4× the local average salary.
A useful rule of thumb used by many localities: annual salary ≥6× the local average wage ⇒ A; ≥4× ⇒ B. For example, Guangzhou’s 2024 notice set its calculation base at the previous year’s provincial average (≈¥9,167/month), and Wuhan publishes annual A/B salary thresholds (e.g., for Jul 2025–Jun 2026, A ≈ ¥56,459/month, B ≈ ¥37,639/month). Compensation design therefore directly influences work-permit category.
Route 2 — The points system (计点积分制)
Where an applicant does not meet a fixed achievement criterion, the points system decides the class:
- ≥85 points ⇒ Category A
- ≥60 points ⇒ Category B
Points are awarded across factors such as: annual salary (up to 20), education/professional qualification (up to 20), work experience (up to 20), yearly working time in China (up to 15), Chinese-language ability (up to 5), work orientation (western/old-industrial-base/poverty areas, up to 10), age (up to 15), graduation from a top foreign university or Fortune-500 experience (up to 5), and local encouragement (up to 10). The system rewards higher pay, higher education, longer China presence, and service in less-developed regions.
Employer and candidate gates
Employer must: be lawfully established with no serious dishonesty records; the position must be one with special need where a suitable domestic candidate is temporarily lacking and not violate regulations; wages must meet the local minimum; and any industry pre-approval required by law must be obtained.
Candidate must: be at least 18, in good health, with no criminal record, a definite Chinese employer, and the professional skills/knowledge required for the job; the work must serve China’s economic and social needs and be in a demanded field.
Onboarding sequence: permit then residence
A work permit is not sufficient to live and work in China. The standard flow:
- Employer registers on the Foreigner Work Permit Management Service System (accessible via the national HRSS portal, www.12333.gov.cn); uploads business licence, legal-rep ID, authorised-agent documents, and the unit registration form.
- Apply for the Notification of Work Permit (工作许可通知) overseas, or directly for the permit if already in China on another valid status.
- The foreigner obtains a work-type residence permit from the entry-exit authority (the two-step “permit → residence” sequence).
- A-class fast-track: online pre-review passed ⇒ direct acceptance; some may do the whole process online; shorter review (e.g., 5 working days for A decisions).
Practical tips
- Confirm the class early — it shapes the document list, review time, and maximum validity.
- Use salary strategically — if a candidate is borderline B, compensation at/above the local 4×/6× threshold can secure the desired class.
- Prepare credentials properly — degree, work-experience, and no-criminal-record certificates often need notarisation/authentication; A-class may use commitment systems for some documents.
- Mind the local thresholds — salary bases differ by city; check the local science/foreign-expert bureau’s annual notice.
- Keep the original permit — it is required for residence, re-entry, and future transfers.
What to do next
- Map the role to A/B/C using the trial classification standard.
- Register the entity on the work-permit system.
- Assemble documents (degree, experience, no-criminal, medical, contract).
- Submit the Notification / permit application; track the review clock (A is fastest).
- Complete the residence-permit step at entry-exit.
- Renew or transfer before expiry; keep the lifelong number consistent.
Sources
- Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) / SAFEA, *Notice on Fully Implementing the Foreigner Work Permit System* (外专发〔2017〕40号) and the *Trial Classification Standard for Foreigners Working in China* — service system: fuwu.most.gov.cn (classification standard PDF: fuwu.most.gov.cn/r/cms/zwpt/web/pdf/wgrlhzq/20180731103648_983.pdf).
- Local implementation Q&A, e.g., Tianjin Municipal Science & Technology Bureau (2024-11-28) — kxjs.tj.gov.cn/ZMHD5064/wdk/bswd/202412/t20241203_6795757.html.
- Guangzhou (2024) and Wuhan (2025) annual salary-threshold notices for A/B classification — local science & technology / foreign-expert bureaus.
- Employer and candidate eligibility per the *Provisions on Administration of Employment of Foreigners in China* and the Exit and Entry Administration Law.
Related reading
- Hiring local staff: contracts & social insurance
- Social Insurance Enrollment for Foreign Employees & Bilateral Treaty Exemptions
- Expatriate Individual Income Tax Compliance in China
在中国聘用外籍人才：工作许可分类（A/B/C）与积分制
概述
将外籍员工纳入你在华团队，并非一纸申请，而是一项分类工作。中国统一的外国人来华工作许可制度将外籍人员分为 A/B/C 三类，你落入哪一类，决定了办理速度、所需材料与许可最长时限。
本指南解析 A/B/C 框架、两类认定路径（公认成就 vs 积分）、用人单位与候选人的资格门槛，以及标准入职流程——依据外专发〔2017〕40号、《外国人来华工作分类标准（试行）》及地方实施细则。
A/B/C 框架
在统一制度下：
- A 类——外国高端人才： 科学家、科技领军人才、国际企业家及”高精尖缺”专门特殊人才。无数量限制。 可享”绿色通道”与”容缺受理”；许可最长可达 5 年。
- B 类——外国专业人才： 急需领域的专业人才，一般须学士及以上学位加两年经历；按市场需求限制。
- C 类——其他外国人员： 满足国内劳动力市场需求且符合国家政策规定的人员——临时性/短期（≤90 日）工作人员、配额管理人员（如政府间交流实习生、符合条件的外籍毕业生）。
统一的《外国人工作许可证》取代原专家证与就业证，实行”一人一号、终生不变”。
路径一：公认成就（A）与分类门槛（B）
许多 A 类标准系固定、广为人知的基准：诺贝尔奖或重要国际奖项得主；各国院士；世界 500 强总部/地区高管；顶尖高校教授；具合格知识产权或投资的创新创业创始人；优秀青年人才（如顶尖机构博士后）。A 类可不受年龄、学历与经历限制。
B 类涵盖学士加两年经历的专业人才、国际通用职业技能持证者、外语教师（母语国母语教学）、以及薪酬≥当地平均工资 4 倍者。
多地采用一条经验线：年薪≥当地平均工资 6 倍⇒A；≥4 倍⇒B。 例如广州 2024 年通知以全省上年度平均工资（约 ¥9,167/月）为计算基数；武汉每年公布 A/B 工资阈值（如 2025-07 至 2026-06，A≈¥56,459/月、B≈¥37,639/月）。因此薪酬设计直接影响工作许可分类。
路径二：计点积分制
申请人若不满足固定成就标准，则由计点积分制决定类别：
- ≥85 分⇒A 类
- ≥60 分⇒B 类
积分按因素赋分：年薪（最高 20）、学历/职业资格（最高 20）、工作年限（最高 20）、在华年工作时间（最高 15）、汉语水平（最高 5）、工作定向（西部/老工业基地/贫困地区，最高 10）、年龄（最高 15）、国（境）外高水平大学毕业或世界 500 强经历（最高 5）、地方鼓励（最高 10）。体系奖励高薪、高学历、更长在华经历与欠发达地区服务。
用人单位与候选人门槛
用人单位须： 依法设立、无严重失信记录；岗位须确属需要、暂缺合适国内人选且不违反相关规定；工资不低于当地最低标准；依法须前置审批的已取得批准。
候选人须： 年满 18、健康、无犯罪记录、境内有确定用人单位，并具备岗位所需专业技能或知识；工作须服务中国经济社会发展需要、属急需紧缺领域。
入职流程：先许可后居留
工作许可不足以在中国居住与工作。标准流程：
- 用人单位在外国人来华工作管理服务系统（经全国人社政务服务平台 www.12333.gov.cn 进入）注册，上传营业执照、法人身份证、经办人及委托材料、单位注册表。
- 境外申请《外国人工作许可通知》，或已在华持其他有效身份的直申许可证。
- 外籍员工向出入境管理机关申领工作类居留许可（”许可→居留”两步）。
- A 类快捷：网上预审通过即直接受理；部分可全流程网办；审查更短（如 A 类决定 5 个工作日）。
实操提示
- 尽早确认分类——其决定材料清单、审查时长与最长有效期。
- 策略性运用薪酬——若候选人临界 B 类，达到当地 4×/6× 阈值的薪酬可锁定目标类别。
- 妥善准备凭证——学位、工作经历、无犯罪记录证明常需公证/认证；A 类部分材料可承诺制。
- 留意地方阈值——工资基数因城市而异，请查当地科技/外专局年度通知。
- 保存许可证原件——居留、再入境及日后转聘均需。
下一步建议
- 对照分类标准将岗位映射至 A/B/C。
- 在工作许可系统注册单位。
- 备齐材料（学历、经历、无犯罪、体检、合同）。
- 提交通知/许可申请，跟踪审查周期（A 类最快）。
- 完成居留许可步骤（出入境）。
- 到期前续办或转聘，保持”一人一号”一致。
来源
- 科技部（国家外专局）《关于全面实施外国人来华工作许可制度的通知》（外专发〔2017〕40号）及《外国人来华工作分类标准（试行）》——服务系统：fuwu.most.gov.cn（分类标准 PDF：fuwu.most.gov.cn/r/cms/zwpt/web/pdf/wgrlhzq/20180731103648_983.pdf）。
- 地方实操问答，如天津市科学技术局（2024-11-28）——kxjs.tj.gov.cn/ZMHD5064/wdk/bswd/202412/t20241203_6795757.html。
- 广州（2024）、武汉（2025）A/B 类工资阈值年度通知——各地科技/外专局。
- 用人单位与候选人资格依据《外国人在中国就业管理规定》及《出境入境管理法》。
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- 雇佣本地员工：合同与社保
- 外籍员工社会保险登记与双边社保协定豁免
- 外籍员工个人所得税合规：居民身份、183天规则与协定待遇