A foreigner has his civic affairs handled in Suzhou New District. [Photo/WeChat account: snd-szgxqfb]
Suzhou New District in East China's Jiangsu province has by now attracted 10 national foreign experts, nine provincial foreign experts, and 377 city-level foreign experts, 59 of whom arrived in 2021. The district has also helped set up seven provincial and 29 city-level foreign expert studios.
In 2021, seven high-caliber foreign experts were funded by the central government, a record high, while three foreign experts were funded by the provincial government, and a unit was selected as a municipal workstation for foreign academicians for the first time in SND.
The district completed 7,554 pre-examinations of work permits for foreigners in China in 2021. To date, there are 1,258 foreign experts holding work permits in SND, among whom 534 are first-class foreign experts, the highest number anywhere in Suzhou.
In recent years, SND has been dedicated to improving the work of foreign experts in China and promoting international cooperation and talent introduction.
According to the district's action plan on the optimization of government services, residence services for foreign talent will be improved. Overseas Chinese that have applied for visa extensions or longer residence can stay for longer periods of up to five years. Foreigners' work permits can also be extended to five years.
SND also provides convenient services for college students from home and abroad as well as foreign students looking to start businesses and take internships.
A series of measures have been introduced for foreign experts related to accommodation, medical treatment, schooling for their children, and organizing fellowship activities.
