Work in China
Jobs in China
Z-visa work in Beijing and Shanghai — employer-sponsored, city-specific, Mandarin-first.
Editorial
Reviewed April 2026 (visa) and August 2026 (salary). Guidance only — not immigration legal advice. Market estimates, not job offers. How we source this
Work permit
Z visa (work)
Mid software engineer · Shanghai
CN¥435,000
Studio rent · Shanghai
$800/mo
Visa
Z visa (work)
Paid work requires a Z visa converted to a residence permit, backed by a work permit notification from a licensed Chinese employer. Tourist (L) and business (M) visas are not work authorisation. Categories A/B/C classify talent; A is the fast lane. Rules and city-level practice differ between Beijing and Shanghai. Only plan this with an employer who has done it recently.
English-only work is uncommon outside specific multinational teams and teaching.
National Immigration Administration ↗ · Short-stay visa checker
Job market
How hiring actually works
Beijing and Shanghai still hire foreigners into certain tech, auto, teaching, and corporate roles, with pay that looks different in RMB once housing packages are included. The market is not the open expat boom of the 2010s. Mandarin and a sponsoring employer are non-negotiable for most jobs.
Cities on this page: Beijing, Shanghai. Search on Global Job Scanner is account-gated; create a free account to run a live China query.
Pay
Mid-level salaries, local currency
Same model as the salary checker (2025–2026 market estimates, Q1 2026 FX). Not an offer.
| City | Software Engineer | Product Manager | Data Scientist |
|---|---|---|---|
| BeijingCNY | CN¥435,000 | CN¥445,875 | CN¥406,000 |
| ShanghaiCNY | CN¥474,875 | CN¥489,375 | CN¥445,875 |
Compare Shanghai against another city · Rent and budget in the cost of living calculator
Questions
Before you book a one-way ticket
What visa do I need to work in China?
Z visa (work). Paid work requires a Z visa converted to a residence permit, backed by a work permit notification from a licensed Chinese employer. Tourist (L) and business (M) visas are not work authorisation. Categories A/B/C classify talent; A is the fast lane. Rules and city-level practice differ between Beijing and Shanghai. Only plan this with an employer who has done it recently.
What does a software engineer earn in China?
A mid-level software engineer in Shanghai is about CN¥435,000 in our 2026 model (local currency, market estimate — not an offer). Compare other roles in the table on this page or the salary checker.
Can I get by in English?
English-only work is uncommon outside specific multinational teams and teaching.
Search
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