Suzhou again one of best Chinese cities for expats

Suzhou in East China’s Jiangsu province is one of the “top 10 most attractive Chinese cities for expats” for the eighth consecutive year, according to the latest ranking revealed in Shenzhen, South China's Guangdong province, on April 14.

Shanghai took the top spot in the ranking list, followed by Beijing, Hefei in Anhui province, Hangzhou in Zhejiang province, Shenzhen, Suzhou, Qingdao in Shandong province, Tianjin, Xi’an in Shaanxi province, and Wuhan in Hubei province.

Statistics says that there are currently 13,000 foreigners working in Suzhou, accounting for 50 percent of the total in Jiangsu province. Among them, 4,517 are high-caliber talents, accounting for 63 percent of the province’s total.

Since the work permit system for foreigners launched in April 2017, around 22,800 Foreigner’s Work Permits have been issued in the city, of which 6,469 were for high-caliber talents, topping the province in terms of both quality and quantity.

Furthermore, since the foreign talent visa system was implemented in 2018 25 foreign talents in Suzhou have qualified to enjoy the new policy.

In addition to preferential policies, it is its profound culture, competitive economic strength, sound business environment, and comfortable living environment that won Suzhou such an honor.

In recent years, Suzhou has always striven to create a pleasant climate for foreigners with a host of practical measures. Specifically, it has built six international schools and four Sino-foreign joint venture hospitals.

The ranking result was according to the annual themed survey Amazing China – the Most Attractive Chinese Cities for Expats, which started in 2010. The survey was conducted based on indicators such as working and living environments, preferential policies, promotion prospects, and business opportunities.