Overseas professionals employed in the Hainan Free Trade Port may be able to use recognised international qualifications when providing professional services in the province.

Recognition is not automatic. The qualification must appear in Hainan’s applicable recognition list. The published 2020 list is formally titled the Catalogue of Overseas Professional Qualifications Recognised in the Hainan Free Trade Port (2020) (《海南自由贸易港认可境外职业资格目录清单（2020）》), and the applicant must satisfy the conditions established for that profession. Depending on the qualification, the assessment may involve document review, an interview or oral defence, an examination, or another form of professional evaluation.

This guide explains who is eligible, what documents the employer must submit and how the recognition process works.

Who is eligible?

An overseas professional must meet all of the following conditions:

• Comply with the Constitution and laws of the People’s Republic of China
• Have full civil capacity and demonstrate good professional ethics
• Already hold a valid work permit issued by the relevant Hainan authorities
• Hold an overseas professional qualification included in the applicable recognition list

The applicant must also already be employed by an organisation in the Hainan Free Trade Port.

When is recognition required?

Recognition is required when an overseas professional intends to provide relevant professional services directly to enterprises or residents within the Hainan Free Trade Port under the name of an overseas qualification included in the applicable list.

The qualification must correspond to the particular profession and scope of services the applicant intends to provide. Recognition of one qualification does not provide general permission to work in unrelated professions.

Before preparing an application, the employer should check the applicable recognition list to determine:

• Whether the qualification is included
• Which provincial industry authority handles it
• The permitted professional scope
• The assessment method
• Any profession-specific requirements

Who submits the application?

The application is submitted by the overseas professional’s employing organisation.

Although the government service record identifies the service recipient as a natural person, its operational guidance states that the employer applies to the provincial industry authority responsible for the relevant qualification.

The responsible authority for each qualification is identified in the applicable recognition list. Different qualifications may therefore be assessed by different provincial departments.

Documents required

Three document categories are required.

For each document, prepare:

• Two A4 photocopies
• A paper version
• An electronic version

1. Employment agreement or labour contract

Provide the employment agreement or labour contract between the overseas professional and the Hainan employer.

The document must carry the employer’s official company seal.

2. Overseas professional qualification certificate

Provide the overseas professional qualification certificate for which recognition is being requested.

The certificate must be accompanied by a Chinese translation issued by a translation company. The applicant’s name and other identifying information should be consistent across the qualification certificate, translation, passport, work permit and employment documents.

The employer’s official seal is not listed as a requirement for the qualification certificate itself.

3. Employer’s letter of commitment

The employer must provide a letter confirming the authenticity and validity of the overseas professional qualification.

The letter must carry the employer’s official company seal.

How to apply

Step 1: Check the recognition list

Confirm that the qualification appears in Hainan’s applicable recognition list. The list identifies the relevant overseas qualification, its awarding or registering organisation, and the Hainan provincial authority responsible for recognition.

The linked PDF contains two separate lists. The first covers Chinese professional examinations that overseas applicants may take; the recognition list for qualifications already obtained overseas begins later in the document.

Step 2: Check the profession-specific procedure

Consult the recognition procedure published by the responsible provincial industry authority. The assessment method and any additional requirements may vary between professions.

Step 3: Prepare the documents

Prepare the employment agreement or labour contract, overseas qualification certificate and Chinese translation, and the employer’s authenticity and validity commitment letter.

Prepare two A4 photocopies of each document and the corresponding electronic versions.

Step 4: Submit the application

The employer submits the application to the provincial industry authority responsible for the qualification.

Applications can be submitted online through the Hainan Government Services platform, at the designated service office or by courier.

Step 5: Attend the document-verification visit

One visit to the designated office is required. The purpose of the visit is to verify the authenticity and validity of the professional qualification, employment documents and other submitted materials.

Appointment booking is not supported, so applicants should attend during the published opening hours and confirm any profession-specific instructions beforehand.

Step 6: Complete the professional assessment

The responsible provincial industry authority evaluates the applicant and qualification.

Depending on the profession, this may involve:

• Document review
• An interview or oral defence
• An examination
• A professional evaluation
• Another assessment method established by the responsible authority

Passing the assessment is necessary before recognition can be granted.

Step 7: Receive the result

Once the application and assessment have been approved, the applicant receives the recognition result. Courier delivery of the result is supported.

Check the recognition list → Identify the industry authority → Prepare the documents → Employer submits → Attend verification → Complete the assessment → Receive the result

Processing time

The statutory processing limit is 20 working days.

Hainan publishes a shorter committed processing time of three working days from acceptance. The service record separately allocates one working day to acceptance before the application enters the decision stage.

An assessment, request for additional documents or correction of an incomplete application may affect the applicant’s overall completion time.

Application fee

No government application fee is listed for this procedure.

Applicants may still incur private costs for translation, document preparation, copying or courier delivery.

Where is the service available?

The service is available province-wide.

Because individual qualifications are handled by their corresponding provincial industry authorities, applicants should check whether their assessment or document verification must take place at another designated location.

Service administration and professional assessment

The government service entry is administered by the Talent Development Bureau of the CPC Hainan Provincial Committee (中共海南省委人才发展局).

The professional assessment is conducted by the provincial industry authority assigned to the qualification in the applicable recognition list. The Talent Development Bureau should therefore not be understood as personally assessing every type of overseas qualification.

Haikou service office

Room 459-1, Building 9
No. 69 Guoxing Avenue
Meilan District, Haikou, Hainan
海南省海口市美兰区国兴大道69号9号楼459-1办公室

Opening hours:

Monday to Friday
08:00–12:00 and 14:30–17:30
Closed on statutory public holidays

Enquiries: 0898-65910971
Supervision and complaints: 0898-12345

Applicants should confirm whether this is the correct verification or assessment location for their particular qualification before travelling.

What does recognition provide?

The governing measures and the service record’s guidance state that successful applicants receive a Hainan Free Trade Port Overseas Personnel Skills Assessment Certificate of Conformity (海南自由贸易港境外人员技能认定合格证). The service record’s separate result-information fields do not provide a certificate name or sample.

Within the approved professional scope and recognition period, certificate holders are entitled to the same professional rights as comparable professionals in Hainan.

They may also receive the facilitation and support available to eligible overseas professional talent under the Notice on Providing Facilitation and Support Services for Overseas Professional Talent (《关于做好为境外专业人才提供便利保障服务有关工作的通知》).

The certificate only applies to the recognised profession, approved service scope and applicable period. It does not provide unrestricted permission to practise in other fields.

How long does recognition remain valid?

The service guidance confirms that recognition applies for a defined period, but the general service record does not state its length.

The applicant should confirm the applicable recognition period with the provincial industry authority responsible for the qualification. This is particularly important where the underlying overseas certificate has its own expiry date or renewal requirements.

Important points before applying

A valid Hainan-issued work permit is a prerequisite for this procedure. Professional-qualification recognition does not replace the work permit or the foreign national’s residence documentation.

Being employed in Hainan and holding an overseas qualification does not guarantee recognition. The qualification must appear in the applicable list, and the applicant must pass the assessment established by the responsible provincial industry authority.

Applicants should also check the permitted scope and recognition period carefully. Providing services beyond that scope or after the recognition period has expired may require further approval or renewal.

The recognition lists may be adjusted over time. Before applying, confirm with the Talent Development Bureau or the relevant provincial industry authority that the published 2020 list remains applicable and that no newer list affects your qualification.

Governing measure

The procedure is based on Article 4 of the Measures for the Administration of Practice by Overseas Personnel in the Hainan Free Trade Port (Trial) (《海南自由贸易港境外人员执业管理办法（试行）》), issued under 琼府〔2020〕44号.

The measure requires eligible overseas professionals to satisfy the applicable conditions and pass a skills assessment before providing relevant professional services directly to enterprises and residents in the Hainan Free Trade Port under the name of an overseas qualification included in the applicable recognition list.

The administrative details in this guide were checked against the Hainan Government Services record accessed on 3 September 2026. Qualification lists, assessment procedures and local arrangements may change. Applicants should confirm the current requirements with the provincial industry authority responsible for their profession before applying.

If you hold an overseas professional qualification or have completed the recognition procedure in Hainan, you are welcome to post your questions or share your experience below.