On the first place, one has to apply for the Residence Permit which acts as visa with multiple entries. The permit will be glued in your passport and is valid for one year. The permit is issued by the Division of Aliens and Exit-Entry Administration of the local bureau for Public Safety. When applying for this document, it has to be communicated that the reason of the entry to China is for work purposes. It is no longer possible to change from a tourist visa into a working visa. Other documents that are needed are a certified leasing contract, a certificate of health issued by Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau appointed by the Chinese government or issued by foreign medical agencies accredited by Chinese embassies or consulate offices and a working contract in Chinese with the official company stamp on it. Once the Residence Permit has been granted, the person will have to register at the relevant office of a Police Station again.

The Alien Employment Permit is normally issued for the whole duration of the working contract but its validity is limited to one year and has to be renewed every year.

A green card is only issued when certain experts are urgently needed in order to make their residence in the country easier. With this card, the person does not have to register several times when entering China. However, it is not easy to get such a card. The person must have lived in China for more than five years or have invested a certain amount of money in the country or be married to a Chinese person or contributed with a crucial sum to the development of the country. Professions such as journalists and lawyers are not very likely to receive a green card.