China is launching a new visa category for young foreign technology talent, a move that comes just as the Trump administration sharply increases the cost for U.S. companies to hire high-skilled overseas workers.
China will add a K-visa to its ordinary visa categories, a foreign ministry spokesperson announced Monday. The policy, already written into the revised Regulations on Administration of the Entry and Exit of Foreigners on Aug. 7, is designed to attract young science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) professionals.
The introduction of the K-visa signals China’s intensified push to lure global talent and bolster its technological capabilities, particularly in strategic sectors like semiconductors where it is behind the U.S. The policy stands in stark contrast to Washington’s more restrictive immigration stance, highlighting a growing divergence between the world’s two largest economies as they compete for technological and geopolitical dominance.
On Sept. 19, U.S. President Donald Trump signed a proclamation to impose a $100,000 fee on certain visas for high-skilled foreign employees.
The K-visa targets foreign nationals who have graduated with at least a bachelor’s degree in a STEM field from a well-known university or research institution, or who have relevant work experience in those areas. According to officials from a group of government bodies including the foreign ministry and the National Immigration Administration, the K-visa will offer greater convenience in terms of entry frequency, validity and duration of stay compared to China’s 12 other ordinary visa types.
Crucially, applicants will not be required to have an invitation from a Chinese employer, which is expected to streamline the application process. Holders of the K-visa can engage in educational, scientific and cultural exchanges, as well as business and entrepreneurial activities after arriving in China. Specific application requirements and procedures have not yet been released.
Previously, China’s main channel for attracting overseas talent was the R-visa, which targets high-level experts and urgently needed specialists. However, the R-visa program has faced criticism for its lengthy manual review process, a lack of flexibility and inconsistent implementation standards for “high-level talent” across different regions, according to a paper by scholars at the People’s Public Security University of China.
