Implementation Measures for the Talent Green Card System of Guangzhou City

Article 1In order to comprehensively study and implement General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important thoughts on doing a good job in talent work in the new era, thoroughly carry out the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important speeches and instructions during his inspection of Guangdong Province, accelerate the development of a high-level talent hub in the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area, deeply implement the new-era strategy for strengthening the city through talent, adhere to attracting and gathering talents in line with the “four orientations,” support broad masses of talented individuals in starting businesses and innovating in Guangzhou, promote the transformation from a demographic dividend to a talent dividend, and advance the city’s transition from a large human resource city to a strong talent resource city, this Implementation Measures is formulated in accordance with relevant policies and regulations.

Article 2 Non-Guangzhou residents—both domestic and foreign—who are outstanding talents working or starting businesses in Guangzhou, as well as in areas such as the Guangzhou–Foshan High-Quality Development Integration Pilot Zone and the Guangzhou–Qingyuan Special Economic Cooperation Zone—are eligible to obtain the Guangzhou Talent Green Card (hereinafter referred to as the Talent Green Card) in accordance with these Measures.

The Talent Green Card is divided into Type A and Type B.

Article 3 Applicants for the Talent Green Card must meet the following basic requirements:

(1) They shall abide by the Constitution and laws and regulations of the People’s Republic of China.

(2) They shall not engage in any acts that endanger the unity, security, honor, or interests of the People’s Republic of China.

(3) They shall have sound moral character, be honest and trustworthy, possess good professional ethics, observe public order, and respect social morality.

Article 4 Eligibility Criteria for Type A Talent Green Card. Non-Guangzhou residents—both domestic and foreign—who are outstanding talents, meet the city’s needs for talent introduction, spend more than six months each year working or starting businesses in Guangzhou, have a legal residence in the city, and satisfy one of the following conditions may apply for the Type A Talent Green Card.

(1) High-level and high-skilled talents who have been evaluated or approved by our city, including:

1. Recipients of internationally renowned awards, recipients of China’s highest national science and technology award, academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences or the Chinese Academy of Engineering, academicians of the highest academic institutions (associations) in developed countries and regions, and those selected for national major talent programs.

2. Outstanding young and middle-aged experts with significant contributions to the nation, principal contributors to projects awarded the National Natural Science Award, Technology Invention Award, or Scientific and Technological Progress Award, experts receiving special government allowances from the State Council, nationally distinguished professional and technical talents, leaders in academic and technological fields at national laboratories, national key laboratories, or key national disciplines, winners of the “China Skills Grand Prize,” medalists in the WorldSkills Competition, and national technical experts.

3. The first two inventors or designers of China’s Patent Gold Awards, principal contributors to provincial- or ministerial-level natural science, technology invention, or scientific and technological progress projects, outstanding young and middle-aged experts at the provincial or ministerial level, those selected for Guangdong Province’s major talent programs, leaders in academic and technological fields at Guangdong laboratories, key laboratories, provincial new R&D institutions, or high-level innovation research institutes, and provincial technical experts.

4. Those selected for various programs under Guangzhou’s “Attracting Talents” initiative.

5. Experts holding senior professional titles or above with at least ten years of relevant professional experience.

6. Other high-level or high-skilled talents evaluated or approved by our city.

(2) High-level talents with substantial overseas work, study, and innovation/entrepreneurship experience, including:

1. Scholars and experts who have held positions equivalent to associate professor or higher at prestigious foreign universities or research institutions.

2. Talents who have worked for more than three years in R&D or management roles at international renowned enterprises such as Fortune Global 500 companies, having held mid-to-senior level positions.

3. Leading talents who master core technologies, possess independent intellectual property rights, whose technological achievements reach international advanced or domestic leading levels, and who demonstrate strong market prospects and industrialization potential.

4. Talents with extensive overseas innovation and entrepreneurship experience who bring technologies, projects, and capital to Guangzhou to start businesses in key local industries, thereby contributing to the development of related sectors in our city.

5. Talents holding Foreigner Work Permits (Type A), Confirmation Letters for High-Level Foreign Talents, or Confirmation Letters for Foreign/Hong Kong/Taiwan High-Level Talents issued by the nine cities of the Pearl River Delta Independent Innovation Demonstration Zone and Jieyang Sino–German Metal Eco-City.

(3) Individuals with postdoctoral research experience; or those holding graduate degrees from regular higher education programs at universities and research institutions (including military research institutes) and having obtained a doctoral degree; or those holding graduate degrees from top 300 global universities and having earned a master’s degree or higher; or those holding undergraduate degrees from top 200 global universities and having earned a bachelor’s degree or higher.

(4) Talents currently serving in mid-to-senior management positions or key technical roles at units primarily responsible for implementing the city’s annual key projects, strategic leading industry key projects, headquarters enterprises recognized by the city, or major industrial investment attraction projects introduced to the city.

(5) Overseas talents whose annual salary income is no less than six times the city’s average annual wage of the previous year, and who, after completing their annual tax reconciliation, pay personal income taxes exceeding RMB 120,000 annually in Guangzhou.

(6) Talents recognized by relevant departments as possessing specific skills or expertise needed for or in short supply within the city’s economic and social development.

Article 5 Eligibility Criteria for Type B Talent Green Card. Non-Guangzhou residents—both domestic and foreign—who are outstanding talents and meet one of the following conditions may apply for the Type B Talent Green Card.

(1) Talents meeting the criteria specified in Paragraph 1 of Subsection (1) of Article 4 of these Measures, who work in the city for no more than six months per year or maintain cooperative relationships with local entities.

(2) Talents meeting the criteria specified in Subsections (1) through (3) of Article 4, but who have worked in municipal organs or public institutions for less than six months.

(3) Talents meeting the criteria specified in Subsections (1) through (3) of Article 4, who spend at least six months each year working or starting businesses in areas such as the Guangzhou–Foshan High-Quality Development Integration Pilot Zone or the Guangzhou–Qingyuan Special Economic Cooperation Zone. The specific number of cards issued and the list of eligible individuals under this provision shall be determined by the municipal talent work department.

(4) Outstanding talents who meet the regional talent attraction criteria stipulated by the implementation measures of each district in the city.

Article 6Referral System for the Talent Green Card. Talents working in Guangzhou or already holding a Type A Talent Green Card, and who meet the criteria specified in Paragraph 1 of Subsection (1) of Article 4, may annually recommend up to two outstanding colleagues from their teams or workplaces for the issuance of a Type B Talent Green Card, with a cumulative limit of five individuals over five years. Recommended candidates must hold at least a bachelor’s degree. Recommenders must submit a handwritten letter of recommendation, which, after review by the municipal talent work department, will be forwarded by the recommended candidate to the “Guangzhou Talent Green Card Management System.”

Article 7 Holders of the Type A Talent Green Card are entitled to the following benefits or services:

(1) Foreign nationals who have legally obtained a Foreigner Work Permit may, upon request, be issued work-related residence permits with validity periods ranging from a minimum of 90 days to a maximum of five years. Those meeting the requirements for foreign talent visas may, as prescribed, exchange their permits for single-entry, double-entry, multiple-entry, or zero-entry R-type visas valid for stays of up to 180 days within a five-year entry period.

(2) They may, as prescribed, apply in the city for ordinary passports, permits for travel to Hong Kong and Macao, permits for travel to Taiwan, and various endorsements.

(3) High-level overseas students and foreign science and technology experts who have resided in China continuously for one year or longer (including one year) may enjoy customs duty-free treatment for reasonable quantities of research, teaching, and personal-use items upon entry.

(4) Cardholders who meet the city’s household registration requirements may benefit from expedited processing when applying for hukou.

(5) For preschool-age children accompanying cardholders who meet the age requirements, they are eligible to participate in computer-assisted lottery admissions organized by the district education authorities where they reside. During compulsory education, district education authorities will assign them to public schools (including government-purchased places in private schools) on par with local registered residents. When taking high school entrance examinations, they will enjoy the same eligibility as local registered candidates, being able to apply to both public and private general high schools as well as secondary vocational schools.

(6) They may, as prescribed, participate in professional title evaluations for technical personnel, vocational skills training, and national occupational qualification examinations and certifications. Upon obtaining certificates for trades included in provincial or municipal subsidy programs, they may apply for labor skill enhancement subsidies as stipulated.

(7) For cardholders who are foreign nationals and meet relevant national regulations, when investing in establishing enterprises, they may directly apply for business licenses without further notarization or certification of their valid identification documents.

(8) They may open bank accounts within the city and conduct deposit and withdrawal transactions; funds brought in as foreign exchange upon enterprise establishment, profits earned in RMB within the city, and other lawful RMB income generated locally may be processed through designated foreign exchange banks for purchase or remittance.

(9) Those planning to enroll in social insurance in accordance with the law may, as prescribed, complete all procedures for transferring and continuing their social insurance coverage. Eligible cardholders, along with their spouses and children, may participate in the city’s basic pension insurance, employee and urban/rural resident medical insurance, as well as supplementary health insurance plans.

(10) Those covered by the city’s housing provident fund system may, as prescribed, make contributions to and withdraw funds from their housing provident funds, and transfer their housing provident fund accounts across different locations. When applying for housing provident fund loans, they will enjoy the same treatment as local registered contributors.

(11) They may, as prescribed, apply for motor vehicle driver’s licenses in the city; as Guangzhou residents, they can also enjoy the same eligibility as local registered residents when applying for incremental quotas for small passenger vehicles and completing motor vehicle registration procedures.

(12) Non-Guangzhou registered mainland residents may enjoy the same treatment as Guangzhou residents when purchasing homes for self-occupancy; foreign nationals may, in accordance with national regulations, purchase one home for personal use.

(13) They may, as prescribed, enjoy housing security benefits such as talent apartments and shared-ownership housing.

(14) They may benefit from expedited processing when applying for residence permits.

(15) Other benefits and services prescribed by the state, province, or city.

Article 8Holders of the Type A Talent Green Card may apply for subsidiary Type A Talent Green Cards for accompanying spouses, minor children, parents, and parents-in-law. Holders of these subsidiary cards may, as prescribed, receive visas or residence permits with validity periods identical to those of the primary Type A card, and enjoy the benefits outlined in Articles 7(2), (11), (12), and (14).

Article 9Benefits Enjoyed by Holders of the Type B Talent Green Card. Holders of the Type B card may enjoy the benefits specified in Articles 7(10), (11), and (12); after purchasing a home in the city, they may also enjoy the benefits outlined in Article 7(5).

Article 10 The entire process of applying for the Talent Green Card is conducted online. Details are as follows:

(1) Application.Applicants log in to the “Guangzhou Talent Green Card Management System” or the “Suihao Ban” app and follow the relevant procedural guidelines to submit their applications.

(2) Verification.Applications for the Type A Talent Green Card, as well as those submitted under Paragraphs (1), (2), and (4) of Article 5 for the Type B card, are accepted and reviewed by the district human resources and social security bureau where the applicant’s workplace is located, based on the principle of territorial jurisdiction. Applications under Paragraph (3) of Article 5 for the Type B card are regularly reviewed and issued by the municipal talent work department.

The reviewing authority shall complete the verification and determination within five working days from receipt of the application.

(3) Card Production.Once an applicant is confirmed eligible, the Municipal Public Security Bureau shall complete card production within five working days.

(4) Issuance.After the Talent Green Card is produced, it shall be delivered to the reviewing authority within three working days, which will then issue the physical card and simultaneously release an electronic certificate.

Article 11 Changes, Renewals, Replacements, and Responsibilities Related to the Talent Green Card.

(1) The Talent Green Card shall clearly indicate the cardholder’s name (in both foreign language and Chinese transliteration), gender, date of birth, photograph, employer, place of residence in the city, nationality (region), name and number of identification document, and validity period. If the cardholder’s employer or place of residence changes, they must, within thirty days, notify the reviewing authority and complete the necessary information change procedures.

(2) The validity period of the Type A Talent Green Card is determined based on the applicant’s workplace and actual circumstances, with a maximum term of five years; the Type B card has a validity period not exceeding one year, which can be extended once upon expiration, and eligible holders may convert to Type A. For renewals required upon expiry, the cardholder or their employer must apply to the reviewing authority for a new card at least thirty days before the current card expires.

(3) In case of loss, the cardholder shall promptly provide a written statement of loss to the reviewing authority, initiate a suspension procedure, and apply for a replacement.

(4) For individuals who commit illegal or disciplinary violations, obtain the Talent Green Card using false materials, or cause adverse impacts through unethical behavior or academic misconduct, the reviewing authority shall revoke and cancel their Talent Green Card, while maintaining relevant records. Applicable benefits will be suspended and, depending on the circumstances, revoked.

(5) Relevant departments (such as organizations performing public administration functions) and their staff who violate the provisions of these Measures and fail to fulfill their duties according to law shall be ordered by competent authorities to rectify their conduct; responsible leaders and directly accountable personnel shall be disciplined in accordance with the law; if criminal offenses are involved, criminal liability shall be pursued.

Article 12These Measures shall come into effect upon promulgation, with a validity period of five years. Previously issued Talent Green Cards may continue to enjoy relevant benefits within their validity terms. Where national or provincial policies and regulations provide otherwise, those provisions shall prevail.

Article 13We will explore the implementation of a points-based system for the Talent Green Card, opening a channel for outstanding talents urgently needed for Guangzhou’s economic and social development—those who already have a certain foundation of cooperation with Guangzhou or potential for future collaboration—to earn Talent Green Card points. Points will be awarded based on individual contributions, allowing talents to choose corresponding benefits according to their accumulated scores. Specific implementation measures will be formulated separately.

Article 14Each district shall, in accordance with these Measures, formulate relevant detailed implementation rules or guidance manuals.