China’s National Immigration Administration (NIA) has instructed local Foreign Expert Bureaus to resume full enforcement of salary-based entry thresholds for foreign talent, ending the pandemic-era leniency that had quietly prevailed in many cities.
The change, which took effect after a nationwide system update on 5 February 2026, means that employers must now prove that Category A applicants earn at least six times—and Category B applicants at least four times—the local average monthly social wage. For Beijing, that translates into minimum monthly salaries of RMB 71,622 for Category A and RMB 47,748 for Category B talent; in Shanghai, RMB 74,604 and RMB 49,736 respectively. Applications that fall even a few yuan short are automatically blocked by the online portal.
Although these multipliers have existed on paper since 2017, enforcement was relaxed during the COVID-19 years so that companies could retain key expatriates whose salaries dipped temporarily below the benchmarks. Human-resources consultancies report that since early February rejection rates for under-threshold renewals have jumped sharply in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. Some mid-level managers who previously qualified under the salary pathway are being downgraded from Category A to B or asked to supply additional academic and professional proof.
![China strictly enforces higher salary thresholds for foreign Category A & B work permits]()
For employers or assignees seeking hands-on help with the renewed scrutiny, VisaHQ offers a streamlined way to manage Chinese visa and work-permit formalities. Through its China portal (https://www.visahq.com/china/), the platform provides updated checklists, document translation services and direct submission support—an efficient safeguard against the new wave of automatic rejections.
The stricter regime has several practical implications for multinational employers. First, mobility teams must budget higher gross compensation—often 15-20 percent more—to keep critical assignees in China’s tier-one cities. Second, renewals now require meticulous documentation of continuous employment and education histories; even a one-month gap triggers a system error. Third, companies should build longer lead-times (four to six weeks) into assignment planning to account for the heavier document checks and the possibility of resubmission.
While the policy raises the bar for foreign nationals, authorities emphasise that it also clarifies China’s talent priorities: highly-paid specialists remain welcome, but lower-paid roles are expected to be localised where possible. Companies that rely on expatriate expertise—particularly in R&D, engineering and financial services—are advised to review 2026 compensation budgets immediately, adjust assignment allowances, and explore alternative routes such as the “points-based” Category B assessment for talent who cannot meet the new salary floors.
The change, which took effect after a nationwide system update on 5 February 2026, means that employers must now prove that Category A applicants earn at least six times—and Category B applicants at least four times—the local average monthly social wage. For Beijing, that translates into minimum monthly salaries of RMB 71,622 for Category A and RMB 47,748 for Category B talent; in Shanghai, RMB 74,604 and RMB 49,736 respectively. Applications that fall even a few yuan short are automatically blocked by the online portal.
Although these multipliers have existed on paper since 2017, enforcement was relaxed during the COVID-19 years so that companies could retain key expatriates whose salaries dipped temporarily below the benchmarks. Human-resources consultancies report that since early February rejection rates for under-threshold renewals have jumped sharply in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. Some mid-level managers who previously qualified under the salary pathway are being downgraded from Category A to B or asked to supply additional academic and professional proof.
For employers or assignees seeking hands-on help with the renewed scrutiny, VisaHQ offers a streamlined way to manage Chinese visa and work-permit formalities. Through its China portal (https://www.visahq.com/china/), the platform provides updated checklists, document translation services and direct submission support—an efficient safeguard against the new wave of automatic rejections.
The stricter regime has several practical implications for multinational employers. First, mobility teams must budget higher gross compensation—often 15-20 percent more—to keep critical assignees in China’s tier-one cities. Second, renewals now require meticulous documentation of continuous employment and education histories; even a one-month gap triggers a system error. Third, companies should build longer lead-times (four to six weeks) into assignment planning to account for the heavier document checks and the possibility of resubmission.
While the policy raises the bar for foreign nationals, authorities emphasise that it also clarifies China’s talent priorities: highly-paid specialists remain welcome, but lower-paid roles are expected to be localised where possible. Companies that rely on expatriate expertise—particularly in R&D, engineering and financial services—are advised to review 2026 compensation budgets immediately, adjust assignment allowances, and explore alternative routes such as the “points-based” Category B assessment for talent who cannot meet the new salary floors.
