Shenzhen’s Exit-Entry Administration has quietly begun applying a stricter age screen when assessing renewal requests for Category B (skilled) and Category C (ordinary) work permits, according to a China Briefing report published on 5 February 2026. Several multinational HR managers told the publication that renewal applications for employees who will be 60 or older (men) or 55 or older (women) during the new permit’s validity are now being flagged for additional justification or, in some cases, rejected outright. While China’s national work-permit regulations already list those ages as the default retirement thresholds, enforcement has historically been uneven, with many cities granting renewals where employers could demonstrate continuing need.
The change matters because Shenzhen is home to more than 30,000 foreign professionals and hosts the China offices of hundreds of global tech, finance and supply-chain firms. Category B workers account for the bulk of expatriate hires in the city, ranging from product engineers to marketing managers and regional CFOs. Tightening renewal criteria therefore forces employers to review succession plans, consider downgrading senior experts to short-term consultancy arrangements, or shift regional roles to younger assignees in Hong Kong or Singapore.
![Shenzhen tightens age limits on Category B and C foreign work-permit renewals]()
Amid these changes, VisaHQ can help multinational HR teams navigate China’s evolving work-permit landscape. Its platform tracks municipal policy shifts in real time and offers hands-on assistance compiling the justification letters, medical proofs and other paperwork now required for over-age renewals. To learn more about their China support services, visit https://www.visahq.com/china/
Local immigration agents say the city is still willing to grant first-time work permits to older hires “in urgent need” cases, but renewals face closer scrutiny because regulators want to align with national retirement-age discussions and encourage technology transfer to younger Chinese workers. Companies are advised to budget extra time—up to six weeks—for renewals that trigger the age review and to prepare letters explaining the employee’s indispensability, health status and knowledge-transfer plans.
The development underscores a broader trend: China’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security is gradually standardising enforcement of long-standing rules after the pandemic, as the country re-opens but also seeks to manage demographic pressures. Employers with China-bound assignees should track local interpretations in other Tier-1 cities—Shanghai introduced a similar but less strictly enforced policy in late 2025—and adjust mobility policies, retirement benefits and equity-vesting schedules accordingly.
The change matters because Shenzhen is home to more than 30,000 foreign professionals and hosts the China offices of hundreds of global tech, finance and supply-chain firms. Category B workers account for the bulk of expatriate hires in the city, ranging from product engineers to marketing managers and regional CFOs. Tightening renewal criteria therefore forces employers to review succession plans, consider downgrading senior experts to short-term consultancy arrangements, or shift regional roles to younger assignees in Hong Kong or Singapore.
Amid these changes, VisaHQ can help multinational HR teams navigate China’s evolving work-permit landscape. Its platform tracks municipal policy shifts in real time and offers hands-on assistance compiling the justification letters, medical proofs and other paperwork now required for over-age renewals. To learn more about their China support services, visit https://www.visahq.com/china/
Local immigration agents say the city is still willing to grant first-time work permits to older hires “in urgent need” cases, but renewals face closer scrutiny because regulators want to align with national retirement-age discussions and encourage technology transfer to younger Chinese workers. Companies are advised to budget extra time—up to six weeks—for renewals that trigger the age review and to prepare letters explaining the employee’s indispensability, health status and knowledge-transfer plans.
The development underscores a broader trend: China’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security is gradually standardising enforcement of long-standing rules after the pandemic, as the country re-opens but also seeks to manage demographic pressures. Employers with China-bound assignees should track local interpretations in other Tier-1 cities—Shanghai introduced a similar but less strictly enforced policy in late 2025—and adjust mobility policies, retirement benefits and equity-vesting schedules accordingly.
