China’s new K visa for young Stem talent signals ambition, but also anxiety, say analysts

Even though China produces millions of Stem graduates each year, many of them lack cutting-edge training or exposure to global research frontiers. - AFP

BEIJING: A new type of visa rolled out by China to draw young foreign science and technology talent signals its ambition to become a tech superpower as well as an urgency to bolster innovation, analysts said.

The K visa, effective from Oct 1, 2025, will grant such early-career talent a streamlined path into China, without the need for a local employer sponsor, at a time when immigration policies in the US and Britain have become more restrictive.