With the special visa, Chinese authorities hope to attract foreign specialists to the country
According to BBC, specialists in new technologies, entrepreneurs, and scientists from the most in-demand fields will be able to apply for such a visa. Beijing expects the visas to be in demand among Nobel laureates as well.
Applications for the new Chinese visa can be submitted online, and the application is free. Chinese authorities claim that at least 50,000 foreigners will benefit from the introduction of the new visas.
In 2016, China introduced a points-based system for issuing work visas to identify specialists the country wanted to attract and reduce the flow of low-skilled migrants. According to this document, the category of "high-level foreign talents" includes Nobel laureates, successful Olympic athletes, and leaders of "world-renowned music and art universities." The same category includes leading scientists, heads of major financial organizations, and professors from "high-level foreign universities."
Similar visas are issued by the United Kingdom. The Tier 1 Exceptional Talent visa is intended for highly skilled specialists in science, engineering, medicine, digital technology, humanities, or art. It can be obtained by demonstrating exceptional talent in a field, but a letter of recommendation from an authorized British organization is also required. Additionally, the number of visas in this category is limited: no more than 1,000 are issued per year.
Citizens of any country except Switzerland and EU member states can obtain such a visa. The visa is issued for five years. The visa holder has the right to work or run their own business in the UK in the field specified in their application.