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Shanghai still a popular draw for expats with skills

By Cao Li (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-01-02 10:17

The global economic gloom has taken nothing away from Shanghai's allure for foreigners.

"The economy is bad in general. But I am lucky to be on the right side of the world," said Marisa Espanyol, a 35-year-old property lawyer working in Shanghai.

Espanyol moved to China after spending 19 years in Canada. "It's my best move so far," she said.

"I've learned some Chinese, you know, it's always good to experience other cultures when you move."

Like Espanyol, more than 68,600 foreigners, by Dec 24, were working in Shanghai. The number is 13 times that of 1996, when Shanghai started issuing expat work permits.

Angie Eagan, general manager of Hudson China, saw a number of foreigners working as senior management staff with Shanghai's multinational companies being fired or returning to their headquarters.

"At the same time, we are receiving more job applications from overseas," she said.

"What has happened in Shanghai's job market reflects what has been happening globally, especially in banking, financial services, legal, property and the accounting firms.

"We see some banks refocusing their business more on rolling off their branches than on doing some of the B to B transactions. But many people see China offering better opportunities than North America or Europe."

Sun Hande, director of Shanghai Employment Service & Administration For Overseas Personnel, said that his office still receives about 300 to 400 applications for work permit every day.

Sun Hande said the city's labor bureau allocated a small office of about 10 sq m in 1996 to process registration of expat employment. "We have to expand it again and again," he said.

In May 2007, the bureau moved to a new office of 1,500 sq m.

Suming Wang, CEO of the city's first joint venture hospital Shanghai East International Medical Center, said the number of expat doctors and expat patients is several times bigger than in 2003, when the hospital was founded.