Hawaii of China looking to recruit global talent for 36,000 skilled jobs

This week sees the launch of a Worldwide Talent Attraction campaign by Hainan Free Trade Port (@Hainanftp) to encourage English speaking talent to apply for a selection of skilled positions and relocate to the South China island. When it comes to attracting global skilled talent, the province may give Brits something to think about. Hainan is known by some as ‘the Hawaii of China’ thanks to its tropical climate, luxurious beach resorts, upmarket hotels, golf courses and luxury shopping. 

In 2018, Chinese President Xi Jinping designated Hainan as China’s largest free-trade zone and introduced new subsidized housing and fast-track work visas to attract new residents. The latest incentives go much further. 

These include: 

• Salary of up to £275,000
• Personal income tax capped at 15%
• Medical insurance for talent and their family 
• Tax benefits related to household registration, house purchase, car purchase and schooling support for children
• Access to education opportunities 38 professional qualifications examinations including architects and licensed pharmacists. At the same time a total of 219 different professional qualifications from overseas are now recognized throughout the province

Announced as China’s first blockchain testing zone, talent from the tech world have already started to make their way to Hainan to explore the application of blockchain in areas such as cross-border trade, inclusive finance and credit rating. In 2020, a large-scale Master Plan for the construction of Hainan was announced, and since then, over 260,000 people have moved to Hainan, a year-on-year increase of 391% compared to the year before. 

Shen Xiaoming, Secretary of Hainan Provincial Party Committee, says: 

“It is now a critical period for Hainan to continue constructing the free trade port, develop the island and attract the best skilled talent from around the world. Hainan looks forward to embracing people from all cultures and offer all the support they need to succeed.”