'Five centers' focus on high-caliber resource

Shanghai intent on keeping, cultivating, introducing and better using international talent

Shanghai, which has been promoting its "Five Centers" development strategy, namely establishing itself as an international economic center, international financial center, international trade center, international shipping center and international scientific and technological innovation center, takes talent as the city's most valuable resource.

"Talent is the primary resource. A city's competitiveness depends on the caliber of talent it possesses," said Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng at a news conference on promoting high-quality development, organized by the State Council Information Office in March.

Gong, who attended the opening of the 22nd Conference on International Exchange of Professionals in November, re-emphasized the importance of talent in supporting development of a city.

He said Shanghai will draw global talent with an open and inclusive mind and foster a better ecosystem for talent growth to serve professionals from near and far.

To this end, it will keep, cultivate, introduce and better use international talent, strengthen its international talent communication, and build a world-class platform for global talent to realize their dreams.

The city looks forward to more outstanding global talents coming to Shanghai for innovation, entrepreneurship, exchange, and cooperation, jointly creating a wonderful chapter of mutual achievement where talent and the city thrive together, said Gong.

According to official data, the city's talent pool has continued expanding in recent years, with 172,000 domestic and overseas professionals introduced in 2023, a 12 percent year-on-year increase.

As of March 28, the city had issued a total of 441,000 work permits to foreigners and received more than 310,000 Chinese students who had returned from overseas to work and start businesses. The city's total talent base had exceeded 6.75 million.

Recognized qualifications

In recent years, Shanghai has been enhancing the services it provides to attract and retain global talents.

In November, Shanghai expanded its recognition of professionals holding overseas occupational qualifications to attract them from around the world to boost its vitality.

The Shanghai List of Recognized Overseas Occupational Qualifications 2.0 Version, released by the Shanghai Human Resources and Social Security Bureau on Nov 15, has expanded the Category A list of recognized overseas occupational qualifications to 111 items, up from 48. Holders of these qualifications can receive support services, including prioritized entry and exit, and work permit and residence permit facilitation.

The latest version of recognized overseas occupational qualifications also has 22 qualifications classified as Category B, or urgently needed ones, with extra premium services provided.

Another 33 qualifications are deemed category C, and the holders can acquire corresponding professional titles in China. Their overseas professional experience, work achievements, and innovative contributions may be considered as evaluation criteria. Category D, a new supplementary list, has been introduced, aiming to facilitate mutual recognition between Chinese and overseas professional qualifications, certifications, and technical titles in fields such as construction, finance, accounting and human resources.

In September, Shanghai also introduced 13 new measures to enhance services for foreign talent in Shanghai. The measures, released at the fourth Shanghai Talent+ Summit, include streamlined procedures for obtaining visas, residence permits, permanent residency, work permits and financial services.

Bolstering business

Workforce solutions provider ManpowerGroup Greater China initiated its operations in the Chinese mainland in 2003. So far, the company has established a network covering more than 300 cities in China. The company relocated its China headquarters to Shanghai in 2016. Over the span of more than 20 years, ManpowerGroup Greater China has observed Shanghai's vibrancy in attracting global professionals.

"With rapid economic growth and continuous industrial upgrades, the talent market in Shanghai is thriving, with a constant demand for professional talent in different fields. This not only provides us with broad market opportunities but also drives us to continuously optimize services, enhance professional standards and meet the increasingly diverse needs of both enterprises and individuals," said Cui Zhihui, executive director and CEO of ManpowerGroup Greater China. "Shanghai also places great emphasis on cultivating local talent by providing education and training to continuously enhance the overall quality and competitiveness of its workforce. These efforts not only offer robust talent support for Shanghai's economic development but also present our human resources company with additional talent resources and service opportunities."

Cui also praised the efforts made by the Shanghai government in promoting management and service innovation in the talent sector.

"Shanghai actively promotes harmonious and stable labor relations, providing an equitable, just, and transparent employment environment for both enterprises and employees," said Cui. "Shanghai is a city full of vitality and innovation, where corporate culture exhibits diverse and inclusive characteristics. Through our collaborations with numerous enterprises, we have witnessed their efforts and achievements in building corporate culture. These corporate cultures not only enhance employees' sense of belonging and cohesion but also inject new vitality and drive into the development of enterprises."

Haleon, a British multinational consumer health group that demerged from GSK in 2022, has achieved rapid expansion in China in the past few years.

According to the company, Haleon's sales growth reached double digits in 2023 in China. Several of its brands such as Centrum, a multivitamin brand, and Bactroban, a cream product for wounds, are leading in their respective market segments.

The company also put a new innovation center in Shanghai into operation in 2023 to further support local development and foster an innovation culture.

The company attributes its success in China to the growing awareness of health management among the populace, the rapid expansion of its sales network both online and offline, and its people-centered company culture and talent cultivation strategy.

Shanghai's efforts in supporting talent also strongly support the company in attracting professionals from around the world.

"Shanghai has established a globally competitive talent attraction mechanism with a series of measures to bring more conveniences to attract and retain talent, which support us in the recruitment of more high-caliber professionals," said the company.

Over the past three years, Shanghai has promoted cross-border mobile payment options through UnionPay, Alipay and WeChat Pay, enabling overseas users to use foreign bank cards for mobile payments at domestic merchants. More than 70,000 point of sale terminals which accept foreign cards across sectors such as catering, tourism, accommodation and transportation have been installed. Foreign card transactions exceeded 1.9 million in the first half of 2024, totaling 3.5 billion yuan ($481.9 million).

Shanghai has launched a nine-language international service portal, designed to provide a one-stop, multilingual, user-friendly platform for foreign nationals. The portal offers comprehensive information and services for working, traveling, living, doing business and studying in the city.

Foreign contributors

On Nov 23, 50 expats from 18 countries who engaged in sectors such as trade, finance, technology, shipping, healthcare, education, culture, sports and agriculture were awarded the 2024 Magnolia Silver Award at Shanghai's Grand Halls, which offers stunning views of the city, including the historic Bund on the west bank of the Huangpu River and the modern Lujiazui financial area, home to landmarks such as the Oriental Pearl Tower and the Shanghai Tower. The award, which has been given out annually since 1989, is among the highest honors foreigners can receive in the city for their contributions to the city's development and international exchanges.

Kong Fu'an, director-general of the Shanghai Foreign Affairs Office, highlighted the pivotal roles that foreigners, foreign-invested enterprises and foreign institutions play in the city's development, noting that they have been "not only witnesses, but also active participants and contributors".

By setting up this award, Shanghai hopes to inspire more foreign talent to come to Shanghai, stay in Shanghai, integrate into Shanghai, and help to accelerate the progress of Shanghai. So far, more than 1,000 foreign nationals have received the award.