China creates new visa, competing with US in wooing global tech talent

The K-visa rolled out by Beijing last month is part of China's widening effort to catch up with the US in the race for global talent and cutting edge technology

- ASSOCIATED PRESS

Vaishnavi Srinivasagopalan, a skilled Indian IT professional who has worked in both India and the US, has been looking for work in China. Beijing's new K-visa programme targeting science and technology workers could turn that dream into a reality.

The K-visa rolled out by Beijing last month is part of China's widening effort to catch up with the US in the race for global talent and cutting edge technology. It coincides with uncertainties over the US' H-1B programme under tightened immigrations policies implemented by President Donald Trump.

"(The) K-visa for China (is) an equivalent to the H-1B for the US," said Srinivasagopalan, who is intrigued by China's working environment and culture after her father worked at a Chinese university a few years back. "It is a good option for people like me to work abroad."

The K-visa supplements China's existing visa schemes including the R-visa for foreign professionals, but with loosened requirements, such as not requiring an applicant to have a job offer before applying.