What to expect
If you relocating to China, prepare yourself well. That will help you to adjust to a very different living and working environment. Here are just some points to bear in mind to help you to adjust:

• We always recommend trying to learn Chinese, and certainly some of the very basic phrases. It is very important to realise that you will get a very good reception among Chinese people if you show that you have made an effort to understand and learn Chinese.

• Be prepared for significant differences in culture, which extends to how you manage people. For instance, it can take twice as long in China to resolve issues as it would in the UK. Be flexible and accommodating. Try always to understand the situation from the other person's point of view. Equally, some things happen much faster than you might expect.

• Expatriates in China invariably work longer hours than they normally would at home. This could be as a result of fewer distractions or fewer obligations in terms of family and community. It is more likely, however, that the extra hours are needed to be put in, purely because of the extra time needed to adjust to a different culture and work place. Be patient at all times and learn to appreciate that your Chinese colleagues may work at a different pace and have very different considerations. Explain what you want of them carefully and considerately. Be alive to different ways of doing things and tackling problems. Be open-minded. You will reap the rewards in terms of trust and loyalty, and also in terms of enjoyment and satisfaction.

• Other factors may determine that you will work longer hours. The time difference between China and the UK is one (China is eight hours ahead). You may find yourself staying later at night, to deal with e-mails and speak to people on the phone.

• Living in China can bring financial benefits. The cost of living is lower that in the West (although in the big cities, it is fast catching up). Getting home help is easy and cheap. Improved communications makes contact with people far easier than before.

Practicalities and permissions
All foreign nationals wishing to work in China must hold a visa for entry into China. After entering China, they must then obtain an employment permit and a residence permit. Failure to do so is an offence leading to possible fines and deportation. Any foreign national employed in China must:
(1) be at least 18 years of age and in good health;
(2) have the professional skills and appropriate vocational experience required for the intended position;
(3) have no criminal record;
(4) have a definite employer; and
(5) have a valid passport or other international travel document which can be used in lieu of a passport.
In proving good health, you must undergo a negative test for HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases and a physical examination by the Sanitation and Anti-epidemic Department, or a public hospital recognised by the Sanitation and Anti-epidemic Department. This medical examination is now available in some hospitals in major cities in China. More information is available from the individual Public Security Bureau or from CBBC offices. A health certificate will be issued following a successful examination.

In making any work application, the onus is not just on the employee. The employer must first apply to be licensed to employ that individual. A foreign national may only be recruited after the employer is licensed.

There are four steps to employment of a foreign national in China.
1. Obtaining an employment permit
Since provincial and local labour departments have considerable autonomy in employment matters, procedures vary from region to region. It is important to bear this in mind when preparing to work in China.

The employer of the applicant (the "employee") will be the sponsor of the application. The following documents are required for submission by the employer to the supervising authority of the relevant industry:
• a completed application form;
• a letter of intent to hire;
• an explanation for why the services of the employee are required in China;
• a copy of the employee's resume and work references;
• evidence of the state of good health of the employee confirmed by a medical examination; and
• other documents as required.
Upon approval by the supervising authority and verification of the documents by the local labour department, an employment permit will be issued. A visa notification letter together with the employment permit will be sent directly to the employee. Foreign investment enterprises may proceed directly to the local labour department without seeking prior approval from the supervising authority. In addition to the above documents, the following documents are also required for submission when applying for an employment permit:
• a joint venture contract and articles of association;
• an approval certificate;
• a business licence;
• an application letter from the employer stating the reasons for the employment of the employee and the terms of the employment including the remuneration; and
• a certificate issued by an authorised employment service centre certifying that no Chinese candidates are eligible for that particular post.

For representative offices in China, there is no need to apply for an employment permit in hiring a foreigner as its chief representative. The employer must, however, seek approval from the appropriate approval authority in China. The authority will issue a working card for the employee and based on this the employee can apply for an employment visa. Chinese law governs all employment by a Sino-foreign joint venture regardless of the governing law of the employment contract. An employment contract may be entered into with a single employee or with a group of employees. A joint venture may sign a collective employment contract with the trade union. Once the contract is signed, it is submitted to the employment bureau for approval, unless local law or practice does not require doing so.

2. Obtaining an employment visa
Upon receipt of the visa notification letter and the employment permit, the employee may apply for an employment visa either in person or through agents in Hong Kong. The following documents are required for submission:
• a completed visa application form;
• a visa notification letter; • an employment permit;
• original passport with at least 12 months validity left before expiration;
• a passport photo; and
• a letter of employment from the employer.

The employee can also apply for visas for dependents and family members by submitting, alongside their completed visa application forms, their original passports, one passport photo and original birth certificate or marriage certificate (as appropriate). The employee and his/her dependents should also apply for re-entry visas if they intend to travel outside China during their stay.The employment visa will be issued in around one to two weeks. The employee and his/her dependents must enter China within 90 days after the issue of the employment visa.

3. Obtaining an employment certificate
Within 15 days of entering China, the employer must apply for an employment certificate from the local labour department by submitting the following:
• a completed application form;
• an employment permit;
• a physical examination record (issued by the Sanitation and Anti-Epidemic Department or a health certificate issued by a public hospital recognised by the Sanitation and Anti-Epidemic Department);
three passport photos;
• an original employment contract; and
• an original passport.

The validity of the employment certificate will be restricted to the region as specified by the local labour department.

4. Obtaining a residence permit
The employee must report to the municipal or county Public Security Bureau where he/she is to reside within 30 days of entering China to complete foreign residence permit or foreign temporary residence permit procedures. A foreigner's residence permit is given to those staying in China for one year or longer, while a foreigner's temporary residence permit is given to those staying less than a year. The following documents are required for submission for applying a residence permit:
• an official letter from the employer;
• a physical examination record (issued by the Sanitation and Anti-Epidemic Department or a health certificate issued by a public hospital recognised by the Sanitation and Anti-Epidemic Department);
• an explanation of the reason for staying in China;
• a copy of the business licence of the employer;
• a foreign-invested enterprise approval certificate issued by the Municipal Commission for Foreign Trade and Economic Affairs (for employees employed by foreign invested, owned or co-operative ventures);
• original passport
and
• two passport photos.