China's new Immigration Law explained

July 17, 2012 | BY

clpstaff &clp articles

After ten years, the NPC has finally passed an Immigration Law providing a unified platform for managing immigration. China Law & Practice spoke with two leading employment lawyers to determine how the Law will affect immigration policies

The PRC Immigration Administration Law (中华人民共和国出境入境管理法) was passed during the 27th Session of the Standing Committee of the 11th National People's Congress earlier this month. After ten years of internal debate, the Law passed through the legislative process of three deliberations (December 2011, April 2012 and June 2012) before being passed.

When the Law becomes effective, it will combine and repeal the Law for Foreigners (中华人民共和国外国人入境出境管理法) and the Law for Citizens (中华人民共和国公民出境入境管理法) making it the first major reform to China's immigration laws since 1986.

“Combing two separate laws into one is not a surprise. This has happened before with the Contract Law and it shows the country is more open and more international than before,” said Linda Liang, a labour and employment lawyer with King & Wood Mallesons in Beijing.

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