Photo: Nanfang Daily

Shenzhen has been authorized to certify high-end and urgently needed foreign talents, a power once solely reserved for Guangdong provincial foreigners work management authorities, as a Shenzhen criteria defining those talents came into force Tuesday.

Eligible professionals must meet at least one of the following conditions: being included in one of China’s foreign talents programs, holding globally recognized professional certifications, being badly needed for Shenzhen’s social and economic development, being recognized as innovative and entrepreneurial talents or distinguished young talents, scoring 85 or more points in China’s point scoring system designed to judge foreigners’ qualifications in applying for work permits, or being recommended by related government agencies of the city.

High-end talents also include Nobel Prize nominees, academicians of international sciences and engineering academies, national science award winners, and chief scientists or major members of any major international science or engineering projects.

Founders of companies with IPR, managerial or technical talents in innovative enterprises, and those who won first, second and third prizes at the finals of the China (Shenzhen) Innovation & Entrepreneurship International Competition are also qualified for accreditation.

Talents recommended by related government agencies or those who are accredited by the Qianhai Authority in investment management, fintech, AI, trade, commerce and electronic materials may also be defined as high-end talents.

“Based on national rules for attracting high-end professionals, the local standard adds ‘Shenzhen elements’ by taking into consideration the city’s need,” an employee with the Shenzhen Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs, who declined to be named, said in an interview yesterday.

Employers of foreign nationals can submit applications at https://fuwu.most.gov.cn/lhgzweb. The Shenzhen Municipal Science and Technology Innovation Commission will issue certificates within five workdays to qualified applicants and will share their information with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its embassies and consulates in the home countries of the qualified applicants. They will then be granted a China Talent visa, or R visa.

The R visa is only issued to people whose talents have reached a high-level qualification or whose skills are urgently needed in China.