Requirements for Working in China's Hospitality Industry

The Chinese hotel industry has experienced exponential growth with 44 billion businesses and two and a half-million hotel rooms. Due to the robust international and domestic hotel company development, there is a shortage of skilled labor in China’s hotel industry. The hotel sector is rapidly growing and learning the craft of hospitality. Many hotels in cities such as Shenyang offer customers good and efficient service (Shira 191). Being qualified and certified in the hospitality industry, I would like to work in China because of the many opportunities in Chinese tourism and its hospitality industry. China is also a beautiful country with a diverse cultural background that I would like to learn more about. In order to travel from the United States to China, I will have to seek employment at a reputable hospitality company in China and obtain a work visa. A work visa is needed for people wishing to do paid work in China and for family members accompanying them. The work visa is similarly issued to foreigners who go to China for entertainment shows meant for commercial purposes. The employer/organization must be approved to give employment to people from other countries. The employee must meet recommended standards as a foreign expert and the employing firm must get papers to show this (Zhang and Wu 424).

The employee sends the employer an employment permit issued by the government along with a visa notification letter. These must be submitted as photocopies. Marriage partners accompanying the employee should submit a marriage certificate and children should submit their birth certificates as a proof of relationship in order to obtain a Z visa. The work visa is valid for only 30 days from the date of arrival during which time you and your employer must obtain a permit for residing temporarily during the contract period but no more than a length of one year.

The applicant should obtain a valid actual passport with minimum six months validity left before it expires and at least one blank visa page remaining in it. He should also obtain one completed visa application form of the People’s Republic of China, current passport and a standard photo attached to the form for visa application. The applicant also has to provide the invitation letter of Duly Authorized Unit or a confirmation letter of invitation. A work permit is required as well for experts from other countries. Academicians, tutors or management officers going to work in Mainland of China should provide a letter of confirmation for Foreign Experts from the State Administration of China’s Foreign Experts Affairs. Permanent office of foreign enterprise Chief Representative in China should give the certificate for registration from the local Administration in charge of Industry and Commerce. Non-Chinese employees engaged in China’s offshore operations should provide a letter of invitation issued by National Offshore Oil Corporation in China.

Persons from other countries who come to China for employment should have the certificate of employment for foreigners (permit for work) issued by the Ministry in charge of Social Security and Labor. For participating in entertainment shows for commercial purposes in China, visitors should provide the temporary permit for entertainment commercial shows from the Ministry in charge of Culture of China. In case the entertainment band has members less than five, only the notification for visa from the office of Foreign Affairs of municipality, autonomous region or province is required.

 Accompanying family members are not needed to give a visa notification form or a working permit; they should provide relationship proof e.g. Marriage Certificate, Birth Certificate, etc.

For one to apply, he or she can go to the embassy of China, consulates or other ambassadorial missions in person for visa application. A person can also entrust your friends, a tour agency or a travel permit agency to operate on his or her behalf. There is no need to make an appointment. Applications via mail are totally unacceptable. An application usually takes four days to be processed but if the visa is urgent, an additional thirty U.S. dollars are charged for one operational day dispensation and twenty U.S. dollars for two to three working days processing. The fee for a work visa is similar to the fee for other type of visa to China. Only single entry visas are issued to the aliens by the Chinese embassy or consulate. In the United States of America the Chinese embassy’s charges are one hundred and forty U.S dollars for U.S. citizens and one hundred and thirty U.S. dollars for non-citizens.

The Chinese ?emporary Residence Permit lets a person stay in China for the period of  five years according the contract between the employer and the employee; or, depending on a course length, as is the case for students. With this permit, the employee can go out and in the country as many times as he/she needs. The Temporary Residence Permit is actually the same as  visa stamped on the passport. The employee applies for the Temporary Residence Permit at the local public security bureau (PSB) exit and entry administration for a time frame of thirty days from the employee’s entry into China Mainland. The process requires the cooperation of both the employer and the employee. The employee needs to be patient. They should learn the style of administration and management in China since cultural differences can bring differences and frustrations (Huyton and Sutton 22).

The employer’s Foreign Affairs Office representative should meet with the employee and take him/her to register as a resident, according to his/her accommodation,   at the police station, as this is required by law. The police station provides “an accommodation registration printout” in case the employee wants to get a Temporary Residence Permit. The employer’s duty  also is to organize the employee’s interview with the local PSB offices. The employee should carry a passport, accommodation registration printout from the police, physical examination results, employment documentation, and a fee. The processing of the Temporary Residence Permit takes from three up to six weeks. The applicant may be rejected for a visa or temporary residence if the employee has in the past been infected with certain diseases such as tuberculosis, HIV and significant mental illnesses. Physical disability can also be used to discriminate since China is less organized with facilities for the disabled (Ching 41).

The employee can change his or her employer while his Temporary Residence Permit is still valid. The new employer must be eligible to employ foreigners and must obtain all the required paperwork. The Temporary Residence Permit can also be extended before it expires. The requirements for working in China sound strict, but with much determination I believe I will be able to overcome them.