CHINA: Annual Work Permit inspections required in Shanghai

May 27, 2016

It is now a requirement that foreign employees in China must complete an annual inspection application regarding their existing work permit status. The applications are required every year on the date the work permit was originally issued and can be filed 90 days before the annual inspection date is due.

The Shanghai Labour Bureau has seen an increasing trend in the violation of multi-year work permit holders who are not filing annual work permit inspection applications on time. In an effort to reduce the number of holders who fail to comply with this requirement, the Bureau has stated that those that do not file their applications in time will have their work permits cancelled. Foreign employees that do not submit their application within three months after the annual inspection date will face automatic cancellation.

Whilst this rule has been present for some time, it has not always been strictly enforced. However the penalty for non-compliance has now been strictly laid down, highlighting the importance for all work permit holders to acutely follow the deadlines closely.

In order to ensure that foreign employees are not exposed to this risk, they should always look to make their applications in good time or otherwise face the risk of cancellation and the task of making a new application to regain their right to work status.

If you have any questions regarding annual inspection applications or how you may be affected, please contact us at [email protected]