A new set of ‘secure-travel’ regulations, rolled out nationally on 23 September, is rattling multinational tech firms operating in China. Under the rules, foreign employees who move between provinces more than four times in a calendar month must file an online itinerary with local public-security bureaus, while companies hosting over 50 foreign workers are required to designate a compliance liaison and submit quarterly mobility reports. Observers see the measures as an extension of China’s corporate social-credit framework into the realm of human-capital mobility. Industry groups such as the European Chamber of Commerce warn that the policy raises both cost and confidentiality concerns. An internal survey shared with DW shows that 63 percent of respondents fear accidental disclosure of R&D site locations, and 48 percent expect travel-approval lead times to lengthen, jeopardising last-minute project deployments. Several large semiconductor design houses are reportedly reviewing whether to shift regional training sessions to Singapore or Taipei, where travel logistics are simpler. Chinese officials defend the move as a public-security necessity, noting that the number of foreign residents has rebounded to 845,000 since borders reopened and that law-enforcement agencies need up-to-date contact information in case of emergencies. They emphasise that the online portal requires only basic passport and phone details and that data are encrypted. In practice, however, HR teams will have to integrate the new reporting fields into existing assignment-management software, train employees on compliance do’s and don’ts, and coordinate with travel-management companies to capture inter-city legs booked outside official channels. Failure to file can trigger fines of up to RMB 50,000 for the company and RMB 10,000 for the traveller, plus possible visa-status review. Mobility advisers recommend immediate action: audit current travel-approval workflows, map out high-frequency travellers, and engage local PSB contacts to clarify gray areas—especially for employees covering nationwide sales territories. They also suggest including the new compliance burden in 2027 budgeting for China assignments.
Source: Deutsche Welle
