Welfare in China is linked to the hukou system. Welfare reforms since the late 1990s have included unemployment insurance, medical insurance, workers’ compensation insurance, maternity benefits, communal pension funds, individual pension accounts, universal health care.

China monitors its citizens through Internet, camera as well as through other digital technologies. As of 2019, it is estimated that 200 million monitoring CCTV cameras of the “Skynet” system have been put to use in mainland China, four times the number of surveillance cameras in the United States.

China’s social credit system, by its wide definition, is a set of databases and initiatives that monitor and assess the trustworthiness of individuals, companies and government entities. Each entry is given a social credit score, with reward for those who have a high rating and punishments for those with low scores.

In China, some 95 percent of the population has health care coverage, but the system looks more like a business than a platform to save lives. Unlike in democratic socialist or most communist states, where health care is free for all citizens, in China the health care system is mostly private and always pricey.

More than 20 million cameras had been installed across China as of 2017, according to state broadcaster CCTV. China also has eight of the world’s 10 most surveilled cities based on the number of cameras per 1,000 people, according to UK-based technology research firm Comparitech.

Individuals working in China – both Chinese and foreign – are required to pay individual income tax (IIT) on their earnings. China revised its IIT law in 2019, introducing a number of changes to ease the tax burden for low- and mid-income earners while taking a tougher stance on high-earners and foreign workers.

The bottom 50 percent is, according to the IMF, taxed at a higher rate than all but the top 5 percent (which pays more in income tax). China also doesn’t tax the assessed value of property—so taxes on accumulated wealth are low (China does tax property transactions).

Fortunately, China is a comparatively safe place to live when it comes to violent crime that we see in our world today. However, expats and other travelers should be aware of potential natural hazards and China’s strict control of public order.

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Holders of an F visa do not usually require a residence permit, but they still need to register with Chinese authorities after their arrival. Although China is popular with employees and students, who intend to stay in China for a number of years, it is not a destination for long-term expatriates.

In the same way a foreigner has no automatic right to live in China because he or she has married a Chinese. However, starting from June 1, 2010, foreigners who have Chinese spouse living in China are eligible to apply for a Family Visit Visa/Residence Permit with longer duration of stay here.

Most U.S. passport holders eligible for Chinese short term business (M) and tourist (L) visas will be issued multiple-entry visas valid for 10 years. In order to be eligible for 10 year visas, US passport holders must have more than 1 year validity remaining on their passport.

China Immigration – Eligibility Criteria for Permanent Residency. While anyone can visit China for a short duration of time, not everyone can get permanent residency in China. He or she should have been married to a Chinese citizen or an immigrant with permanent residency for at least 5 years.

China is a relatively safe place for expats to live, even if you do not speak Mandarin. Violent crime against foreigners is well-publicized but rare.

The process for a foreigner to obtain permanent residence in China is quite a complex one. Since 2016, China has moved to gradually loosen their stringent barriers for foreigners to obtain permanent residency, in an effort to attract more talent to the country.

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How to apply for China permanent residence

• A health check report issued by a domestic entry-exit inspection and issued within the last 6 months.
• A criminal record or background check, which shows no trace or history of any kind must be verified by the overseas Chinese Consulate/Embassy.

A Green Card holder (permanent resident) is someone who has been granted authorization to live and work in the United States on a permanent basis. As proof of that status, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) grants a person a permanent resident card, commonly called a “Green Card.”