Foreigners are allowed to work in China by means of secondment from overseas headquarters. However, the procedure is not simple, as the China-based subsidiary needs to submit a secondment letter – instead of a letter of intention of employment. Furthermore, this policy only applies to a limited number of locations. It may therefore be challenging for enterprises with complex operational systems and internal mobility programmes. As a matter of fact, this remains a challenging issue for workers who come to China for short-term projects – very common especially for enterprises conducting R&D activities.

It is strongly advised not to enter China for work through the 30-day visa-free policy, or on other categories of visas, such as tourism or business. Although this used to be a common practice, it is illegal and can lead to detainment and even deportation (and consequent multi-year ban from re-entering China).