Shanghai Overseas Study Talent Policy Guide: A Quick Overview of Work, Entrepreneurship and Residence Conveniences
This regulation was issued by the Shanghai Municipal People's Government onJanuary 30, 2026(Shanghai Municipal Government Regulation [2026] No. 1),effective fromFebruary 1, 2026,with a validity period untilJanuary 31, 2031
The core objective is to accelerate the development of Shanghai as a high-level talent hub and implement more proactive, open, and effective policies for attracting overseas talent.
It applies to overseas-educated personnel working or starting businesses in Shanghai (including those who have acquired foreign nationality and those who left from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan) as well as employers hiring such personnel.
1. Household Registration and Residence Permit: Overseas-educated personnel, their spouses,children under 16 years oldor attending regular secondary schools, may apply for permanent household registration in this city. Overseas-educated personnel who have acquired foreign nationality may apply for the “Shanghai Municipality Overseas Talent Residence Permit.”
2. Entrepreneurship Support: Overseas-educated personnel may engage in technology transfer, equity participation through proprietary technologies, or pledge-based financing using patents, proprietary technologies, or scientific achievements. They may establish their own enterprises or form joint ventures with local companies.
Enterprises founded by overseas-educated personnel are eligible for entrepreneurial guarantee loans, social insurance subsidies, science and technology innovation vouchers, and other relevant policies.
3. Professional Titles and Qualifications: Overseas-educated personnel holding the “Shanghai Municipality Overseas Talent Residence Permit” may participate in professional title evaluations and vocational qualification examinations conducted in this city.
For high-level overseas-educated personnel, their overseas work experience and academic achievements can serve as criteria for applying for senior professional titles,without being subject to domestic tenure requirements.
4. Permanent Residency: High-level overseas-educated personnel who have acquired foreign nationality may obtain a work-type residence permit (marked “Talent”) or anR-Visa(Talent Visa). Those who meet the conditions may apply for permanent residency in China.
5. Children’s Education: Children of overseas-educated personnel holding the “Shanghai Municipality Overseas Talent Residence Permit” shall be enrolled in preschool and compulsory education according to the principle of proximity. Students graduating from senior high school in this city maytake the national college entrance examination in this city.
6. Social Security: Overseas-educated personnel shall participate in social insurance as prescribed and enjoy corresponding benefits. Unemployed spouses and children under18 years oldor still attending high school may enroll in basic medical insurance for urban and rural residents. Overseas-educated personnel who have acquired foreign nationality may contribute to and withdraw from the housing provident fund and apply for loans.
7. Remuneration and Benefits: Universities, research institutions, and other public institutions may independently designate outstanding overseas-educated personnel as high-level talents, determining their remuneration through annual salary systems or contractual wage arrangements,without being limited by the total amount of performance-based pay.
1. General Overseas-Educated Personnel: Meeting one of the following conditions
(1) Having studied abroad at government expense or self-funded, and having obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher from overseas;(2) Possessing a domestic undergraduate degree or higher, or holding a mid-level or higher professional technical position, and having undertaken advanced studies at overseas universities or research institutions for one year or longer, achieving certain results.2. High-Level Overseas-Educated Personnel
: In addition to meeting the above conditions, they must also satisfy one of the following:Renowned scientists with prestige in international academic and technical circles;Experts who have published influential papers in internationally renowned academic journals or received international academic awards;
Holding positions of associate professor, associate researcher, or higher at prestigious overseas universities or research institutes;Serving in mid-to-high-level managerial roles in government agencies, international organizations, or non-governmental organizations;
Holding senior management or technical positions in world-class enterprises;
Leading large-scale international research or engineering projects; possessing major technological inventions or independent intellectual property rights;
Other high-level talents recognized by the national or municipal talent work bureau.3. Priority Recruitment Areas: High-level overseas-educated personnel urgently needed in leading industries, emerging industries, future industries, etc.
III. Implementation Standards and Timeline1. Effective Date:
Effective fromFebruary 1, 2026,with a validity period of
five years
(until January 31, 2031).
2. Competent Authorities:The Municipal Talent Work Bureauserves as the competent authority for matters concerning overseas-educated personnel, responsible for policy formulation, organization of implementation, and qualification assessment.
3. Startup Qualification Certification: Overseas-educated personnel may authorize domestic relatives or friends to apply on their behalf for qualification certification to enjoy preferential policies when establishing enterprises. The Municipal Talent Work Bureau will handle initial acceptance, followed by relevant departments processing formalities.4. Service Platforms: Promoting the “One-Matter” service initiative for overseas-educated personnel, buildingintegrated online and offline service platforms;
Each district shall set up service windows for overseas-educated personnel, providing policy consultation, business acceptance, and service guarantees.5. Entrepreneurship Parks for Overseas-Educated Personnel: Qualified entrepreneurship parks shall benefit from policies related to science and technology innovation and entrepreneurship carriers, requiring the establishment of dedicated service teams to provide comprehensive services including registration, tax agency, project application, legal consultation, and investment and financing support.6. Financial Support
: The startup guidance fund and supporting funds will increase support for enterprises established by overseas-educated personnel; guarantee institutions are encouraged to provide loan guarantees and re-guarantees. Enterprises founded by overseas-educated personnel may benefit from entrepreneurial guarantee loans, social insurance subsidies, and rewards for outstanding entrepreneurial projects.
IV. Important Notes1. Restrictions on Acquiring Foreign Nationality
: Overseas-educated personnel who have acquired foreign nationality may not hold civil servant positions in state organs, but may serve as consultants, advisors, or technical experts.2. Conditions for Children Taking the College Entrance Examination: Children of overseas-educated personnel must complete senior high school education in this city and obtain a high school graduation certificate before they can take the national college entrance examination here, enrolling only in colleges that have admission plans within this city.3. Coordination of Residence Permits
: Overseas-educated personnel who have acquired foreign nationality and hold the “Shanghai Municipality Overseas Talent Residence Permit” shall follow the current procedures of the Lingang New Area when applying for work permits, ensuring that the duration of the residence permit does not exceed the validity period of the residence permit.
4. Regulations on Capital Transfers: Funds contributed by overseas-educated personnel returning to China to establish foreign-invested enterprises—profits, capital gains, proceeds from asset disposal, liquidation income, etc.—may be legally transferred into or out of the country in either RMB or foreign currency.
5. Duty-Free Import of Scientific and Educational Supplies: When importing scientific and educational supplies from abroad for research or teaching purposes, applicants must rely on qualified universities or research institutions to submit applications to customs, following national regulations for duty exemption procedures.
: Strengthening protection of intellectual property rights for enterprises founded by overseas-educated personnel; patent applications meeting specified requirements may receive fee reductions, and technological achievements may be valued for equity participation investments in accordance with national regulations.7. Civil Service Examinations
: Overseas qualifications and degrees obtained by overseas-educated personnel must be certified by the Ministry of Education’s Study Abroad Service Center. Only those whose overseas credentials correspond to domestic academic certificates may be used as eligibility criteria for applying for civil service positions in this city.8. Green Channels
: High-level overseas-educated personnel recognized by the Municipal Talent Work Bureau may enjoy expedited procedures for household registration and obtaining the “Shanghai Municipality Overseas Talent Residence Permit,” opening personal free trade accounts, and receiving customs clearance facilitation.This regulation constitutes an important institutional safeguard for Shanghai’s efforts to build itself into a high-level talent hub, employing comprehensive policy support covering household registration, entrepreneurship, education, social security, and residency to establish an internationally competitive system for attracting overseas-educated personnel.
Policy Consultation Channels:Shanghai Municipal Talent Work Bureau Service Hotline
021-12333Shanghai Municipal People's Government Official Website
www.shanghai.gov.cn：加大留学人员企业知识产权保护力度，符合规定的专利申请可减免相关费用，技术成果可按国家规定作价入股投资。
7. 公务员报考：留学人员取得的国（境）外学历学位须经教育部留学服务中心认证，与国内学历学位证书有对应关系的，方可作为报考本市公务员的依据。
8. 绿色通道：经市人才工作局认定的高层次留学人员，可享受落户和《上海市海外人才居住证》办理绿色通道、开立个人自由贸易账户、通关便利等待遇。
本规定是上海打造高水平人才高地的重要制度保障，通过户籍、创业、教育、社保、居留等全方位政策支持，构建具有国际竞争力的留学人员引进体系。
政策咨询渠道：
上海市人才工作局服务热线021-12333
上海市人民政府官网www.shanghai.gov.cn