The laws of China prohibit any employer from dismissing a female employee due to marriage, pregnancy, maternity leave or breastfeeding.

Fresh fruits and vegetables are prohibited from being carried or sent into the country. Check out the full list of animals and plants, their products, and other quarantine items prohibited from being carried or sent into China here.

The earliest renewal date is 90 days before your license expires. Even if your license has lapsed for up to a year, renewal is still possible.

When purchasing insurance online, you might encounter some common issues. Refer to this Q&A to help things go smoothly.

The materials required for notarization include the certificate of no criminal record issued by the exit and entry administration department, a valid passport, a student ID card. When applying for a certificate proving you have no criminal record for a specific period, if you have used different passports during that time, you need to present all the passports that cover that period.

People who have lived in China for a cumulative of 180 days or more since their entry into the country can request a criminal record check.

A: You need to bring your insurance documents to the nearest district social security center to check the pension insurance payment status. You can inquire about the details of your account of housing provident fund for the past three years at the outlets of the Shanghai Provident Fund Management Center or those of the China Construction Bank, with any of the following valid identification – passport, residence permit, exit and entry permit, or other valid ID.

To obtain a work-type residence permit in Shanghai, foreigners need to submit their passport, visa, completed application form, health certificate, official letter of application, and proof of a foreigner's work permit. Contact the Exit-Entry Administration Bureau of the Shanghai Public Security Bureau at 021-12367 for more information.

About a week to 10 days before your departure, submit all required documents, including the pet's health and vaccination records, the pet owner's identity information, and flight details, to Huangpu Customs online through the international trade single window to acquire an Animal Health Certificate.

Foreigners who meet one of the following conditions are eligible to apply for a residence permit for private affairs regards to domestic service:

1. Foreign professionals who have obtained the qualification for permanent residence in China or hold a work-type residence permit.

2. Foreign legal representatives, general managers, deputy general managers or financial directors of multinational corporations' regional headquarters (or headquarters-type organizations).

All bookings are currently managed through the WeChat account "SITHC-SHHG". However, for foreign students who are new to Shanghai and do not yet have access to WeChat, an external mailbox has been set up to assist you.

What you should do if your employer refuses to pay your overtime wages? Where can you apply for labor arbitration? How much does it cost to apply for labor arbitration? The following are the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions on labor disputes and resolutions.

If you work in Shanghai, don't forget to ask your company to set up and contribute to your housing provident fund. It's very important if you want to buy a house in the city. Here is an illustration to show you how much you should contribute to your housing provident fund. 

The deadline for filing annual individual income tax (June 30) is approaching. Here are some frequently asked questions from expats. Make sure to file on time!

There are now 227 cultural and tourist sites across Shanghai that offer luggage storage services.

If you hold a Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card, your employer can open a personal housing provident fund account online for you. This fund is a long-term savings plan created for individuals for buying (or renting) a house. The personal account will be contributed by monthly deposits by both employers and employees.

For those who leave the country before reaching the stipulated pension age, their individual social insurance accounts will be retained. If they return to China for employment, their contribution years will be accumulated.

Alternatively, upon a written application to terminate the social insurance relationship, the balance in their individual social insurance account can be paid out to them in a lump sum.

If your husband is a university professor, he can apply for permanent residency through a university recommendation, or he can apply by providing documents such as his doctoral degree certificate and proof of meeting certain annual income standards.

The ABTC is a card issued by the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) to facilitate business travel within the APEC region. With a valid ABTC and a valid passport, cardholders can travel visa-free between APEC economies for up to five years and enjoy expedited customs clearance at major airports.

According to the Shanghai Municipal Tax Service, taxpayers without domicile in China who leave the country before March 1 of the next financial year may handle final settlement before leaving the country. You can bring your identity document to the tax hall of the tax bureau your employer is registered with.