What the work covers

A foreign employee cannot lawfully start work in China on a visitor visa. The work-permit process connects the employer, the role and the person, and each stage depends on the one before it.

We manage applications and renewals, advise on document legalisation and translation, and plan the timing around the employee’s move and the family’s arrangements. We also review compliance when an employer, position or location changes.

  • Work-permit notifications and work-permit cards
  • Residence permits and related immigration steps
  • Dependent visas and residence permits for family members
  • Changes of employer, position or work location
  • Renewals, cancellations and re-entry planning
  • Document authentication, translation and compliance checks

When clients call us

  • A company is hiring a foreign employee and needs the permit timetable before the start date is fixed.
  • A foreign employee is changing employer or role and the existing permit may need to be amended.
  • A family is relocating to Shanghai and needs the visas sequenced around the move.

Preparing for a first consultation

Bringing the documents below to the first meeting usually makes the time more productive. If some are missing, send what you have and we will identify the gaps.

  • Passport copies and the employee’s current visa or residence status.
  • Degree certificates, reference letters and criminal-record documents.
  • The employment contract, offer or secondment terms.
  • The intended start date and any travel already booked.

How consultation fees work

A short call to the 24/7 line is free and is used to identify the next step. If you need more than that, we arrange a scheduled consultation. In-person consultations at our Jing’an office are charged by the hour; the hourly basis and the expected duration are confirmed in writing before the appointment.

In-person consultation

Billed by the hour

  • Review of the documents you send in advance
  • The in-person meeting, up to the time booked
  • A written summary of the main points and next steps

The hourly rate, the expected duration and the scope of the consultation are confirmed in writing before the appointment. VAT, official fees, translation, notarisation and other disbursements are charged separately. Matter work that follows a consultation — drafting, filings, negotiation or court work — is scoped and quoted separately. How consultations work.

Questions we are asked

Can I work remotely for a foreign employer while in China on a visitor visa?

A visitor visa does not authorise local employment, and remote work for a foreign employer can still raise tax and immigration questions depending on the length and nature of the stay. The position should be checked before travel.

How early should an application start?

Two to three months before the intended start date is a practical target, longer if documents must be obtained, authenticated or translated abroad. We build the timetable backwards from the start date.

General information. This page describes the scope of our practice and does not constitute legal advice. The basis on which time is charged is confirmed in writing before work begins. No outcome can be guaranteed.