Dr Mujtaba Naaseri from Afghanistan recently moved with his family to the shores of Dishui Lake in the Lin-gang Special Area of East China's Shanghai. 

Last month, he attended the 4th International Talent Innovation and Entrepreneurship Promotion Conference in the Lin-gang Special Area of China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone and was deeply impressed.

Dr Mujtaba Naaseri shares his views during an interview. [Photo/Shanghai Observer]

The Lin-gang Special Area has introduced a series of policy measures in recent years, attracting a large number of talented young people from home and abroad to settle there. 

The measures include the establishment of the Overseas Returnees Entrepreneurship Park of Lin-gang Special Area – providing convenient services such as business registrations, policy consultations, company operations, as well as financial and tax services. 

Lin-gang has eased restrictions on foreign talents – offering five-year residence permits, a fast-track path to permanent residence in China, and relaxed conditions for work permits over two years. It also provides a fast-track channel for overseas talents to take domestic professional qualification exams.

Dr Mujtaba Naaseri, a recent newcomer to the Lin-gang Special Area, delivers a speech. [Photo/Shanghai Observer]

To top it off, Lin-gang recently announced an internship subsidy policy for college students. Under this policy, eligible undergraduate interns can receive a monthly subsidy of 2,000 yuan ($275.84), while master's degree interns are entitled to 3,000 yuan per month. Doctoral degree interns benefit the most, with a monthly subsidy of 5,000 yuan. 

A Pakistani student decides to start a business in the Lin-gang Special Area. [Photo/Shanghai Observer]

As of June 2024, the Lin-gang Special Area had cumulatively introduced and settled 94,018 new talents, with an average annual growth rate of 97.23 percent. 

In the first half of the year, the Lin-gang Special Area brought in 23,748 talents, a year-on-year increase of 41.91 percent, continuing the positive growth trend.

Source: Shanghai Observer