China

Country Fact Sheet

2017

DisclaimerIOM has carried out the gathering of information with great care. IOM provides information

at its best knowledge and in all conscience. Nevertheless, IOM cannot assume to be held accountable for the correctness of the information provided. Furthermore, IOM shall not be

liable for any conclusions made or any results, which are drawn from the information provided by IOM.

Credit: Kari Collins 2009

I. CHECKLIST FOR VOLUNTARY RETURN

II. HEALTH CARE1. General Information2. Medical treatment and medication

III. LABOR MARKET AND EMPLOYMENT1. General Information2. Ways/assistance to find employment3. Unemployment assistance4. Further education possibilities and vocational trainings

IV. HOUSING1. Housing situation2. Way/assistance to find accommodation3. Social grants for housing

V. SOCIAL WELFARE1. Social welfare system2. Pension system3. Vulnerable Groups

VI. EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM1. General Information2. Costs, loans, and stipends3. Approval and verification of foreign diplomas

VII. CONCRETE SUPPORT FOR RETURENEES1. Reintegration assistance programs2. Support to start income generating activities

VIII. CONTACT INFORMATION AND USEFUL LINKS

2You can find further information here:

https://www.returningfromgermany.de/en/countries/china

Before Return

Prepare the following documents: valid passport

degree certificate and diploma gained abroad(certified originals)

certificate of study abroad issued by thelocal Embassy

resident certification

get information concerning the arrival at theairport and the onward journey

no vaccinations are required to (re-)enterChina. Vaccinations record obtained abroadshould be brought back for the reference ofthe local doctor.

I. Checklist for Voluntary Return

After Return

go to the local police station to get a newID card, if the old one is expired or lost

resume or participate in the national socialinsurance scheme, including health careinsurance

contact services assisting with the search forjobs and housing

apply for child care, schools, or othereducational institutions

contact the IOM Office in Beijing for AVRRassistance available

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Credit: IOM 2017

II. Health Care

1. General information

Basic Medical Insurance for Urban Employees:• Covers all employees, including employees of

enterprises, institutes, NGOs etc.• Costs: Generally, the employer pays 8% of the

monthly salary and the employee pays 2%. Theretired are not required to pay.

Basic Medical Insurance for Urban Residents:• Covers all non-urban employees, students,

children and the unemployed.• Costs: Local governments make their own

policies on the reasonable premium tocontribute based on the local economysituation.

• The reimbursement rate is up to 75 % since2013.

New Rural Cooperative Medical Care:• Covers all residents in rural areas.• Subsidized by the central and local

government. Individuals only pay a very smallamount, such as CNY 20, in some areas.

• The reimbursement rate is up to 75 % since2013.

Medical Relief in Urban and Rural Areas:• Funded by the government.• Covers the poverty-stricken population who

has no means to participate in the basicmedical insurance and people who are insuredbut cannot afford it.

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The person seeking assistance shall:• submit a written application for urban medical

assistance to his community or villagers’committee and fill out the application formand provide supporting documentation suchas ID cards, medical certificates etc.

Benefits and Costs:• a real-time outpatient reimbursement system

has been established in most of the cities inChina. According to statistics issued by theMinistry of Health of the Peoples' Republic ofChina, in the first half year of 2014, theaverage medical expense of outpatients wasCNY 219.85 per capita.

2. Medical treatment and availability and costs of medication

Medical facilities and doctors:Hospitals are widely established from smalltowns to big cities which can provide treatmentto most common diseases.

Procedure of admission:Returnees should go to the appointed hospitalwhich is under the medical insurance system. Toobtain the list, one can call/go to local SocialSecurity Office/check on website.

Availability and costs of medication:The medication market is relatively welldeveloped in China. Normally, needed medicinesare available in the country.

Access for returnees

Registration procedure: Work unit will apply insurance. Unemployed returnees need to go to the

social insurance management center to register. Generally, people will get a

medical card and can claim the expense in 1~3 months.

Required documents: ID card and residence booklet

People who return to China without a medical insurance, could resume or

participate in the insurance plan applicable.The returnees may also consider the

private medical insurance as a supplementary. Children can be covered by the

Basic Medical Insurance for Urban Residents/the New Rural Cooperative Medical

Care. The premium to pay varies from city to city. For Beijing, the cost is

CNY160 per year per child in 2015. For Fuzhou, is CNY 40.

II. Health Care

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Credit: Mikel Flamm 2013

I. General information

In 2016, additional 13.14 million people werebeing employed. The employment sector in 2016,consisted of 776.03 million people. The urban percapita disposable income in big cities includingBeijing: CNY 57275; Shanghai: CNY 57692;Hangzhou: CNY 52185.

Standard minimum wage in big cities is aroundCNY 2000 per month. In smaller cities it rangesfrom CNY 1200 to 1700. The per capitadisposable income of agriculture population wasin 2016 CNY 12363.

The urban unemployment rate is approximately4.05%.

2.Ways/Assistance to find employment

Recruitment is regularly organized on the locallevel. The employment agencies can also provideassistance with some necessary charge.Employment agencies are divided into two types- non-profit and for-profit employment agencies.

The agencies provide information on and policyconsultation of the labor market to employersand employees; administers and maintains therecord of employment, unemploymentregistration, etc. entrusted by the administrativedepartment of the labor and social securitybureau; provides vocational trainings andguidance to the unemployed and the disabled.

Employment information in different cities can beeasily obtained from the websites below. Handingin the resume online will increase efficiency ofjob hunting:

• http://www.zhaopin.com/• http://www.dajie.com/• http://www.58.com/• http://www.ganji.com/

There are also dozens of job-hunting appsavailable online, such as Lagouwang,Qianchengwuyou etc. Risk: There may be someinternet fraud during the process of job hunting.

Self-employment:The procedure involves industrial andcommercial registration, tax registration, settingup bank accounts, and obtaining appropriatelicenses.

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III. Labor Market and Employment

The business license can be obtained at the local

Administration of Industry and Commerce. The

costs are low or free of charge in some cities. Tax

registration has to be done at the local

Administration of Tax.

3. Unemployment assistance

There is only unemployment insurance available.For registration, it is necessary to go to the locallabor and social security bureau.Required documents are:• ID card• certificate of termination and dissolution of

employment relation issued by their workunits.

Benefits and costs:Generally, the employer pays 1% of the monthlysalary while the employee pays 2%. Unemployedcan get around CNY 1000 per month.

4. Further education possibilities andvocational trainings

Graduates from junior or high school seekingemployment and training can undertakepreparatory training. People who find it difficultto find employment and rural laborers enteringthe city to work (if approved) are then assessedto identify basic vocational skills. Localcommunities sometimes can provideopportunities of vocational training or some low-skill jobs. They also provide relevant employmentinformation for the residents.

Credit: Amanda Nero 2016

1. Housing Situation

China’s urban per capita housing space isapproximately 30m2. Rents levied differdepending on location whether the housing is incertain provinces, cities or regions in China. InBeijing for example, the average rent per monthis CNY 4,000 for a small, basically fitted outapartment in the central area. It is relatively easyto rent a house here in China. The rent in bigcities is much higher than that of small city/town.

2. Ways/Assistance to find accommodation

Located everywhere and are very efficient infinding a temporary accommodation. People willneed to pay the commission for the service(normally one month rent). The houseinformation on the websites below is verycomprehensive and is very helpful for findingaccommodations. People can deal with thelandlord directly over such platforms. But it isbetter to be aware that there are illegal agencieswhich may bring property damage.• http://www.58.com/• http://www.ganji.com/

3. Social grants for housingLow-rent housing program:Under the low-rent housing scheme, thegovernment may provide a house as a form ofsocial security to families who find themselves inhousing difficulties. The subsidy is funded by thecentral government.

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IV. Housing

Application:The householder can submit a written applicationto the local residential community office or thepeople’s government at the town level ofgovernment administration.

Documents:• proof of family income status• explanation of family housing status• ID cards and the residence documents of family

members• references requested by municipal and county

authorities

Economically Affordable Housing System:This refers to the houses included in national planswherein the government arranges the real estateenterprise or units to organize collecting funds forhouse-building. Then it sells the houses to urbanlow-income families at a low-profit price.

Documents needed for application:• local and urban permanent residence permit or

permission by the municipal or countyauthorities

• domestic income is in accordance with theincome standards,

• household registration,• income certificate,• house and property titles.

Credit IOM 2015

V. Social Welfare

1. SocialWelfare System

Welfare objectives are aimed at senior citizensover 60 years of age who are unable to work,have no source of income, no alimony orallowance or whose dependents have nocapacity to support them. Orphans whoseparents are dead and who have no otherrelatives capable of raising them, abandonedbabies and children whose biological parentscannot be found by the public security agenciesmay come under the care of child welfareagencies.

Access: Person needs to consult with the local socialsecurity office on the exact registrationprocedure that varies from city to city. After theregistration, the person has to pay into his/heraccount every month.Required documents are : ID copy; one inchcolor photo (X2); Residence booklet copy

2. Pension System

China’s basic medical insurance scheme iscomposed of twol Pension Plan which can besupplemented by commercial insurance:

Rural Pension PlanOnly some areas with financial capability havelaunched a Rural Pension Plan, which is sharedby the local government, collective economyand individuals.

Basic Pension Plan and Eligibility:• covers all employees

• self-employed and freelancer can directlyapproach the local social insurance agencies toapprove their participation in the pensioninsurance scheme.

• they are required to pay the cost of pensioninsurance from their own personal financialresources.

• costs and benefits: Employers shall pay 20%;whereas the employees shall contribute 80% ofthe premium. Basically, they can get theirpension every month once retired.(Specificamount varies from place to place).

• requirements: To reach the national retirementconditions, including normal retirement, earlyretirement due to illness, retirement in advancedue to special types of job, a continuingpayment of 15 years is necessary.

• registration procedure and required documents:Individuals seeking to apply for or withdrawalsof the pension scheme must present a nationalidentity card and their personal accountpension insurance book at their local socialsecurity institutions.

3. Vulnerable GroupsThere are no government defined vulnerable groups.

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VI. Educational System

Educational Level Age

Kindergarten 3-5

Primary Level

Elementary School 6 – 11

Secondary Level

Middle school (incl. junior and senior high

school), Vocational high school, Medium-level

professional schools

12 – 17

Higher Education

Junior college, undergraduate graduate

education at universities, academies, colleges .

From 17

1. General Information

For the registration procedure followingdocuments are needed:• Residence booklet and copy• Property ownership certificate and copy

2. Cost, loans and stipends

Tuition fees for urban and rural areas duringthe 9-year compulsory education period arecompletely exempt, nationwide.

VI. Educational System

3. Approval and verification of foreign diplomas

• degrees or diplomas of higher educationobtained by studying formal curricula in highereducational institutions in foreign countries

• overseas degree certificates are awarded bythe Sino-foreign Cooperation institute

• overseas higher educational diplomas awardedby the Sino-foreign Cooperation via a schoolproject at higher junior college education levelor non-degree higher education level

• To certify the overseas certificates:http://renzheng.cscse.edu.cn

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Access and requirements to stipends and loans:

Loans: national student loans are mainly forstudents to meet the cost of tuition fees andaccommodation• submit a loan application in person• complete the student loan application forms

(in triplicate)• the parents’ employer or the

district/countryside people’s government haveto sign

Stipends: national student grants are awarded tosupport full-time college students if they havefamily financial problems

VII. Concrete Support for ReturneesReintegration assistance programs:Some IOM projects provide reintegrationassistance upon return. The IOM Beijing Officecould be reached for possible assistance.

Support to start income generating activities:Financial support or programs for returnees are not available in China.

However, micro credits are available forindividuals. People may consult with the banks orUrban Credit Cooperation on such possibilities.

Financial and administrative support:• Local Department / Bureau of Civil Affairs• Local resident community

Credit: IOM 2015

VIII. Contact Information and Useful Links

International Organization for Migration

9-1-82, Tayuan Diplpmatic Compound, No. 1 Xindonglu,

Chaoyang District, 100600 Beijing

Tel: (86)10-8532 5268

Fax: (86)10-8532 3687

Email: liaisonofficechina@iom.int

Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security of

P. R. China

No.3, Hepingli Dongjie, Dongcheng District, 100716 Beijing

Tel: 12333

Website: http://www.mohrss.gov.cn/

Ministry of Civil Affairs of P. R. China

147, Beiheya Dajie,

Dongcheng District, 100721 Beijing

Tel: (010)58123114

Website: http://www.mca.gov.cn/

10You can find further information here:

https://www.returningfromgermany.de/en/countries/china