As China's economy continues to grow, the country has sought to attract skilled foreign nationals to contribute to the country's development, and more than 900,000 foreigners were legally employed to work in the Chinese mainland last year.‍

In order to attract more skilled overseas talents, China has overhauled its system of work permits to foreign nationals. Before the system was streamlined at the beginning of April, foreigners were only able to apply for either an employment license for foreigners issued by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, or a foreign expert's work permit provided by the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs.

The two systems used to overlap in many areas, potentially causing considerable confusion. Meanwhile, for those wishing to come to the country for tourism purposes, China has agreed a bilateral visa-free deal with 127 countries. However, this policy is only valid for those holding business or diplomatic passports.