Adopted at the 65th executive meeting of the State Council on July 31, 2025; promulgated by State Council Order No. 815 on August 23, 2025; effective January 1, 2026.
Article 1 — These Regulations are formulated in accordance with the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Foreign Relations for the purpose of facilitating the performance of functions by foreign diplomatic and consular missions in China and safeguarding the lawful rights and interests of Chinese employees.
Article 2 — For the purposes of these Regulations, “foreign diplomatic and consular missions in China” means the diplomatic missions and consular posts established by foreign states in China.
For the purposes of these Regulations, “Chinese employees” means Chinese citizens engaged in auxiliary, service and other work in foreign diplomatic and consular missions in China.
Article 3 — The Chinese government provides, in accordance with law, facilitation for foreign diplomatic and consular missions in China to employ Chinese employees.
Foreign diplomatic and consular missions in China shall respect China’s laws and regulations and safeguard the lawful rights and interests of Chinese employees.
Article 4 — The employment of Chinese employees by foreign diplomatic and consular missions in China shall be subject to centralized administration.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall be responsible for guiding and coordinating the nationwide administration of Chinese employees.
Units authorized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the foreign-affairs competent departments of the people’s governments of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government (hereinafter collectively referred to as “competent units for foreign-affairs services”) shall be respectively responsible for the administration of Chinese employees of foreign diplomatic missions in China and of foreign consular posts in China within their respective administrative regions.
Relevant departments such as human resources and social security, taxation, market regulation, public security and state security shall cooperate in performing the work related to the administration of Chinese employees within the scope of their respective duties.
Article 5 — Foreign diplomatic and consular missions in China shall publish information on job demands through the human-resources platform for Chinese employees established by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and select the Chinese employees they intend to employ as needed.
Article 6 — Foreign diplomatic and consular missions in China shall sign a service agreement with the foreign-affairs service agency designated by the local competent unit for foreign-affairs services, specifying the protection of the rights and interests of Chinese employees, the applicable law, dispute resolution and foreign-affairs service fees, among other matters; the foreign-affairs service agency shall sign a labor contract with the Chinese employee, specifying the auxiliary, service and other work contents to be performed in the foreign diplomatic or consular mission, the labor remuneration, and other matters.
The competent units for foreign-affairs services and the foreign-affairs service agencies shall improve their management level and enhance service quality.
Article 7 — After the foreign-affairs service agency signs a labor contract with the Chinese employee, the competent unit for foreign-affairs services shall issue a Chinese Employee Certificate to the Chinese employee as his or her work permit.
The form of the Chinese Employee Certificate shall be uniformly prescribed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Article 8 — Chinese employees shall abide by China’s laws and regulations and perform the obligations specified in the labor contract; they shall not commit any act endangering national security or harming the public interest of society, and shall not carry out activities in the capacity of a diplomatic representative or consular officer.
Article 9 — Disputes related to the service agreement referred to in the first paragraph of Article 6 of these Regulations shall be resolved in the manner stipulated in the service agreement; disputes related to the labor contract shall be handled in accordance with the provisions of the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Mediation and Arbitration of Labor Disputes.
Article 10 — Except for the institutions specified in these Regulations, no unit or individual may provide employment services of Chinese employees to foreign diplomatic and consular missions in China. Chinese citizens may not, without going through the procedures specified in these Regulations, be privately employed by foreign diplomatic and consular missions in China.
Any violation of these Regulations shall be handled by the competent unit for foreign-affairs services in coordination with relevant departments in accordance with law.
Article 11 — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall, in accordance with these Regulations, formulate specific measures for the administration of Chinese employees.
Article 12 — These Regulations shall take effect on January 1, 2026.
Disclaimer: This translation is provided for reference and informational purposes only. In the event of any discrepancy, the official Chinese text issued by the State Council of the People’s Republic of China shall prevail. This translation does not constitute legal advice.
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