Nigerian entrepreneur creates intl e-commerce app in Xi'an

Fresh out of college in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, Nigerian entrepreneur Nasser Ibrahim is excited to create a mobile phone application for international e-commerce in the historic Chinese city where he has studied and lived for the past three years.

But his excitement is tempered with anxieties over launching a startup in a foreign country. "There is a lot of stuff that needs to be clarified before I could make a move, such as how to apply for work permits and what identification cards to carry while traveling and so on," he said.

Luckily, Ibrahim said many of his questions have been addressed through a free workshop designed for foreign college graduates held in Qinchuangyuan Talent Markets last week.

Qinchuangyuan Talent Markets is an official human resources facility and job fair located in Xixian New Area that straddles Xi'an, the provincial capital of Shaanxi, and the neighboring Xianyang city.

Over the years, it has gained popularity among not only Chinese jobseekers but also foreign students and foreigners looking to land jobs in Xi'an and surrounding regions.

Zhao Hongqing, an official at the Xixian New Area, said that Qinchuangyuan Talent Markets now houses two regional institutions aimed at facilitating foreigners' work and study.

They are an international talent service center providing consultation services, cultural activities and employment training, as well as an immigration service center where immigration officials are on-site to handle inquiries over residence and visa documents and cross-border travel information.

"We are aiming to offer comprehensive services for foreign talents and make them feel convenient, heartwarming and at home as much as possible here," he said.

The workshop that Ibrahim joined is now organized twice a week at the facility. During a 30-minute session, a local immigration officer would give a presentation on key steps for foreigners to settle down and pursue an academic degree or a job opportunity in China, and then take questions near the end.

"I learned of the workshop from a friend of mine who recommended the session to me and forwarded me the online portal for registration," Ibrahim said, adding that he had taken note of some useful pieces of information and had some of his most urgent questions replied by the presenter.

This May, the facility also designated a section at the facility for foreign job applications — named the International Talents Community. The community is now jointly managed with UE Staffing, a local human resources company.

Jia Yuchen, CEO and founder of UE Staffing said that the community has so far helped about 20 foreigners to find jobs in Shaanxi and helped four foreigners to launch their businesses at the Xixian New Area.

"The most popular jobs for foreigners are in the fields of education, internet, healthcare and biopharmaceutical," she said.

The latest addition to the facility has been a library equipped with a variety of foreign language books, which opened on Thursday.

"The idea of the library stemmed from a conversation with a foreign expert here in Xi'an a few years ago. The expert told us that Xi'an is an amazing place, but sometimes he felt lonely and was looking for places to chill, hang and meet friends," said Zhao, the local official.

"So we have set up a foreign expert book house here, as well as a cafeteria. We hope that foreigners can come here, feel cozy and have a wonderful time chatting with each other," he said.