Employment in Chongqing

Local Economy

The rapid urbanization in Chongqing has increased the population and boosted the economy of the city greatly. Though it is more remote than the east coast cities, being that it is inland, Chongqing’s location on the Yangzi River has always made it an important center for transporting goods, and has made the city an ideal hub of manufacturing. The city has a great deal of motor vehicle manufacturing and the city is also improving its manufacturing of high-tech products, which is bringing more money to the city. The surrounding area of the city has a strong focus on agriculture, specifically rice and fruits, and this has been the backbone of the economy of Chongqing for centuries. The transport and infrastructure have been heavily invested in, which has also attracted investment from other cities in China.

Job Hunting in Chongqing

The rapid development in Chongqing has attracted huge amounts of foreign investment in the city, meaning that jobs are available for expatriates within international organizations. These companies will be looking for highly skilled professionals and will be most looking for individuals with experience that they can bring from their home countries. If you can speak Chinese, this will be a significant advantage; but ultimately, the more skilled and valuable you are, the less your language skills will matter to the organization, as English is becoming more and more widely spoken, particularly in the younger generations. Networking is the most important thing for businesses in China, so LinkedIn will be your best friend when looking for employment in Chongqing. There are also Chinese websites, such as 51job (available in English) and Zhaopin (only in Chinese), where you can look for jobs in the city.

Work Permits for Chongqing

In order to legally work in Chongqing, you will need to apply for a residence permit. You will first of all need to apply for a Chinese work permit, also called “z” visa, it is only valid for 30 days, while you are still in your home country and then your employer will help you swap this for a residence permit once you are in the country. In order to apply for the “z” permit, you will need a certificate of employment from your employer, along with an application form that can be filled in online. They will also request two passport photographs, and your passport will need to be valid for the duration of your stay. This will need to be transferred into a residence permit within 30 days of your arrival in Chongqing, and there are several bureaus throughout the city for this. Having someone from your company with you who can speak Chinese in order to speed up the process is very helpful, and your employer should offer to support you with this.