On May 5, 2021, China’s Beijing Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau released the “Catalogue of the Professions Where Foreigners Are Allowed to Take Exams to Get Qualification Certificates in the Integrated National Demonstration Zone for Opening up the Services Sector and China (Beijing) Free Trade Zone 1.0”. 35 professions in the “two zones” are officially confirmed to be open to foreigners, including cost engineers, securities practitioners, patent agents, etc.

Beijing, China’s capital city, has been the spearhead of the country’s commitment to further ease market access. The city’s identities as “two zones” designated by China’s central government in 2015 and 2020 respectively epitomize the country’s opening-up efforts specifically on the service industries and technological innovation.

China is seriously embracing global talent. As the catalogue indicates, the announced restrictions on employment are currently limited to 35 professions of strategic significance such as finance, city planning, intellectual property, information technology in Beijing. Patent agents, certified public accounts, auctioneers, etc are listed to be the most sought-after talent. For example, foreigners are allowed to take patent bar exam to obtain patent agent qualification certificate. With the certificate, foreigners can work at Beijing-based patent agencies. The momentum will be maintained by more professions and posts in other pilot cities being planned to open up.

The exams are provided by Beijing Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau. The webpage of the exam application and registration is available here: http://rsj.beijing.gov.cn/ywsite/bjpta/kszl/ksbm/zzbm/.

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