Overview
- The K visa is designed for early-career foreign STEM graduates and researchers and does not require a local sponsor, with stated activities including education, research, cultural exchange, entrepreneurship and business.
- Authorities have released only limited eligibility guidance such as a bachelor’s degree from a top university, and crucial details like work authorization, duration and qualifying institutions remain undisclosed even after the intended start date.
- Public reaction in China has been sharply negative, with online critics warning of job competition and a wave of racist commentary directed at Indians after reports framed the visa as an alternative to the US H‑1B.
- People’s Daily published an editorial dismissing criticism of the policy as outlandish, and former Global Times editor Hu Xijin argued China currently hosts fewer foreigners than peers such as Japan or South Korea.
- Officials and experts cite a talent shortfall in strategic sectors, with the Ministry of Education saying advanced manufacturing and artificial intelligence require tens of millions more qualified workers than are available.