Lin-gang's 2026 list of 2,415 orgs offers 5-year work permits & PR after 3 years for foreign pros; 32 schools included. Effective July 15. Families eligible.
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Source: OT-Team(G), 临港新片区国际人才服务港
On July 15, the Administrative Committee of the Lin-gang Special Area of the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone officially released the Notice on the Release of the List of Organizations Eligible to Apply for Work Residence Permits of up to Five Years in the Lin-gang Special Area of the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone.
The 2026 list includes a total of 2,415 organizations, making it the largest list-based system in China for foreign talent residence management featuring a “five-year residence permit + pathway to permanent residence” mechanism. The policy officially takes effect immediately.
The newly released list covers a wide range of organizations, including enterprises, research institutions, and other eligible entities. It also includes 32 education-related institutions, covering universities, primary and secondary schools, kindergartens, and vocational training providers. The inclusion of these institutions provides stronger policy support for attracting international talent in the education sector and further advancing the internationalization of education in the Lin-gang Special Area.
I. Key Policy Benefits: Full-Cycle Residence Support for Foreign Talent
The new policy was developed in line with the principles of the Memorandum on Establishing and Improving Immigration and Exit-Entry Management Service Mechanisms to Promote High-Level Development and Cooperation in Shanghai.
It provides foreign professionals employed by organizations on the list with a complete pathway from employment-based residence to potential permanent residence in China. The key benefits include:
1. Work Residence Permits Valid for up to Five Years
Organizations included on the list can directly apply for work residence permits of up to five years for their foreign employees.
There is no longer a need for each individual talent application to undergo a separate qualification review for the employer. Inclusion on the official list itself serves as the qualification basis, significantly simplifying the approval process and improving administrative efficiency.
2. Eligibility to Apply for Permanent Residence After Three Years
Foreign professionals who have worked in the Lin-gang Special Area for three years may apply for permanent residence in China in accordance with relevant regulations.
Their foreign spouses and unmarried children under the age of 18 may also apply together, enabling qualified foreign talent to settle in China with their families.
3. Largest List-Based System for Foreign Talent Residence Permits in China
With 2,415 organizations included, the 2026 list represents the largest-scale list-based management system for foreign talent residence permits in China.
The policy marks a transition from individual case-by-case approvals to a more efficient model of institutional empowerment through an official eligibility list.
II. Full List of 32 Education Institutions Included
The education institutions included in the 2026 list cover a range of high-quality public and private schools, universities, and research institutions in Shanghai.
The selected institutions span multiple educational levels, including higher education, primary and secondary education, early childhood education, and vocational training, creating a comprehensive framework for attracting international educators and professionals.
The complete list of the 32 education institutions is as follows:
III. Significance of the Policy Innovation
The release of the Lin-gang Special Area’s five-year work residence permit list represents another major breakthrough in foreign talent residence policy innovation in the Yangtze River Delta region.
Following previous measures such as the “one approval, two-city recognition” mechanism between Guangzhou and Foshan, as well as Zhejiang’s five-year residence permit policy for foreign employees of foreign-funded research and development centers, the new Lin-gang policy further strengthens regional efforts to build a more attractive environment for global talent.
Together with Zhejiang’s recent policy developments, Lin-gang’s new measure contributes to a coordinated regional approach in creating a talent-friendly ecosystem across the Yangtze River Delta.
Moving from “case-by-case approval” to “list-based authorization,” the policy not only improves efficiency for employers but also provides foreign professionals with a more stable and predictable development environment through a full-cycle support system:
Five-year work residence permit → Eligibility for permanent residence after three years → Family application support
The new policy is expected to further enhance the Lin-gang Special Area’s attractiveness to global high-level professionals, contribute to Shanghai’s goal of becoming a world-class talent hub, and support the city’s continued high-level opening-up.
The complete 2026 list of organizations eligible to apply for five-year work residence permits is available through the official website of the Administrative Committee of the Lin-gang Special Area of the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone:
https://www.lingang.gov.cn/html/website/lg/rc/hotspot/hotnotice/2077290967306723329.html
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