If you plan to start a business in China or hire foreign employees, first check whether the applicant, employer, job and city fit the work permit rules. A complete set of documents cannot fix a plan that does not fit those rules.
EZIPD's China work visa consultation helps you decide whether to proceed, what to prepare and which local requirements need checking. You receive professional advice and a written recommendation before application work begins.
This service is for business owners and employers, not individuals looking for a job in China. The standard advisory package is USD 118. Its scope and deliverables are explained below.
Can your China company support a work permit application
A qualified applicant is only part of the picture. The employer needs a genuine reason for the role, and the work should match the applicant's skills. Official rules also cover company registration and lawful operations. For example, Wuhan's work permit guidance sets conditions for both the employer and applicant, including the need for the position.
National rules set the framework. The application category and local guidance determine which conditions apply. Some city policies offer routes for specific talent or business situations. You cannot choose those rules, but you can plan the company, actual workplace, staffing and timing around the relevant conditions.
People often use "work visa" to describe the whole process. In practice, the work permit, entry visa where required, and work-related residence permit are distinct steps. China's Exit and Entry Administration Law addresses permission to work and reside in China. We check which steps apply to your situation.
Two business situations that need an early review
You are setting up a China business and plan to work in it
You may want to manage suppliers, develop local customers or bring foreign colleagues into the business. Before choosing a company structure, office and relocation date, connect the business plan to the work each person will do.
We ask what the company will sell and where its customers and suppliers are. We also check how it will fund the business and why the role is needed in China. We then review the applicant's background and the relevant city rules. These choices belong in the same discussion as planning a mainland China company.
A startup may need to explain its funding, planned activity, premises and staffing rather than rely on a long trading history. A business plan does not replace required evidence, and a business licence alone does not establish eligibility. Equally, a new company needs a review of its actual situation rather than an automatic rejection for having no revenue history.
Shanghai's category-specific guidance, for example, includes a route for eligible startup founders and team members before company formation. It has specific conditions, including being based in a recognised park or incubator. We check whether such a route applies to your plans.
Your China company already exists and is making its first application
Company registration does not by itself show that the business is ready to employ a foreign founder or employee. An existing company may have limited activity, incomplete records or a role that is not clearly connected to its operations.
Here, we compare what the company does and what its records show with the proposed duties, salary and work location. This reveals which facts support the plan and which need to be clarified before filing.
For founders, ownership and the job performed are separate questions. Our guide to a foreign founder's role in a China company explores that distinction in more detail.
What we examine about the employer and proposed role
Revenue, tax records, local staff and office arrangements help explain the business. We read them together, alongside its stage of development and the proposed job. A single strong number does not resolve an inconsistent employment plan.
| Review area | Facts we discuss | What they help us assess |
|---|---|---|
| Business activity | Products or services, customers, suppliers, contracts and future plans | What the company does and why the role is needed now |
| Revenue and tax | Trading history, revenue records, tax filings and any unresolved issues | Whether the records support the activity described and reveal gaps to address |
| Funding and banking | Available funding, relevant account activity and salary arrangements | How the business expects to support operations and employment |
| Existing team | Chinese and foreign staff, responsibilities, payroll and relevant social insurance records | How the proposed employee fits into the team |
| Premises and location | Actual workplace, office arrangements, size and use, and proposed application city | Whether the location and workspace fit the work described |
| Applicant and role | Qualifications, experience, duties, salary, current status and immigration history | Whether the person fits the job and the applicable application route |
These are areas to review, not fixed national minimums for revenue, tax, staff or office size. We check the evidence your case and application route require.
The hiring explanation should answer a concrete question: what work does this business need this person to do? "I own the company" or "we want a foreign manager" does not explain the duties or skills needed. We help connect the real business need to the applicant's skills and the rules for the proposed route.
What you should know after the consultation
The written recommendation explains whether the facts support moving forward, what needs work first and what still needs checking. It sets out the reasons, main risks and next steps.
For example, suppose the applicant's qualifications fit, but the company cannot explain the job or how it will pay the salary. More personal certificates will not address those gaps. We would first review the actual duties and available funding, then advise what the employer needs to clarify before filing.
The report separates facts we have checked from open questions, including those that need an answer from the relevant authority. If a different business or hiring plan may work better, we explain why. Any change must reflect the real arrangement, not hide it.
Use that advice before committing to relocation, an employee's start date or application costs.
How EZIPD supports better decisions and execution
In our work with foreign-owned businesses, we look beyond the applicant's personal profile. We ask how the business works, what the person will do and where they will work. Those facts guide which options we check.
Our decision engine combines this experience with current rules. We identify facts that could change our advice, compare the available routes and explain the reasons for our recommendation. The aim is to help you make high-quality decisions with more information and enough time to prepare.
Structure Intelligence is the planning work: linking the company, its activities, staff and actual workplace. Service Intelligence turns that plan into clear tasks, required evidence and responsibilities. These are our team's methods for helping you understand what needs to happen and why.
If you choose to proceed with application support, document preparation and filing follow the reviewed plan. We agree the scope and price of that work separately. This is Design First, Action Follow in practice.
What the USD 118 consultation includes
The standard package covers one applicant, one proposed employer, one proposed role and one primary application city.
| Stage | Included service | Output or timing |
|---|---|---|
| Information review | Review of the completed intake and missing facts that could change our advice | Facts to clarify before the assessment |
| Consultation | One online meeting of 60-90 minutes | Discussion of suitability, employer readiness and the proposed route |
| Written recommendation | Findings, reasons, conditions, risks and next decisions | Within 3 business days after complete information is available and the consultation is completed |
| Clarification | One clarification within the original scope | Available within 5 business days after report delivery |
Check the scope before work begins
We serve founders and new companies, but not every case fits the standard package. We check the work needed and confirm the scope and any fees before work begins.
- Multiple applicants, employers, roles or cities need a separate scope review.
- New businesses, limited evidence of business activity, or cases where a founder will work for the company may also need a different scope. The same applies to urgent deadlines or conflicting records.
Disclose any prior refusal, overstay, penalty or unauthorised work issue at intake so we can assess its relevance.
Services outside the advisory fee
The USD 118 fee does not include:
- Preparing government forms, filing, appointments, submission or on-site attendance.
- Document drafting, translation, notarisation, apostille or authentication, or step-by-step training for self-filing.
- Legal representation, administrative review or litigation advice.
Any later execution service requires a separate scope and quotation. The report delivery time is our advisory service timeline, not a government processing time. Approval, processing time and permit validity remain decisions for the relevant authorities.
Questions business owners ask before a review
Do I need every application document before requesting advice
No. We need enough facts to review your case, not a completed application file. Start with accurate details about the applicant, company, job, city and timing. Tell us what evidence you have and what is missing.
Will the online assessment replace a conversation with your team
No. The online assessment is a starting point. Our team needs to discuss the details, check key facts and confirm the service scope with you. A tool result is not the written consultation report or an approval decision.
Start with your business and hiring plan
Use the Visa Suitability Review to share your applicant and employer information. Then select Request a Review to ask our team to contact you. We will discuss your situation and confirm the next steps, scope and any fees with you.
Tell us whether you are starting a China business or applying through an existing company. Explain what the applicant will do, the intended city and your timing. Include any known gaps or previous immigration issues. If you are still planning the wider business, our China market entry readiness guide can help you organise the related decisions.