ASIA BRIEFING
Employing Foreign Nationals Across Asia
By Dezan Shira & Associates
Shanghai, Delhi and HCMC Offices
According to a survey conducted by HSBC, Asia is the world’s most popular destination for expats seeking a new challenge, particularly from Western countries such as the U.S. and U.K. Combined with its surging economies and plentiful opportunities, Asia is understandably an appealing destination for Western workers seeking employment.
Having the right mix of domestic employees with an understanding of local customs and expats with international experience is essential for foreign companies. However, obtaining employment visas for foreign talent can be a complicated procedure in many of the most popular destinations for foreign investment. Added to this, the relevant regulations undergo change at a rate faster than many companies are prepared to handle: China, India and Vietnam, for example, have all amended their work visa regulations in recent years. For China and Vietnam, these changes have served to increase the overall number of visa categories available to foreigners, while in India, new procedures have been introduced that add more eligibility requirements for the employment visa. In all instances, the process for obtaining a work visa has become more stringent.
