Relocate your business to China
Asia
Thinking about business immigration to China? Below are the residency routes for founders, investors and startups, and the set-up services a foreign-owned business needs: company registration, a bank account, tax, payroll, trademark and licences. Set-up comes first, because a company does not grant residency on its own. See also business immigration explained and relocating your business abroad.
1.4B
people
21,000+ km
of Great Wall in total
1
official time zone for the whole country
- Capital
- Beijing
- Population
- About 1.4 billion
- Currency
- Renminbi (CNY)
- Languages
- Mandarin
Best things about doing business in China
- The world's second-largest economy
- A huge domestic consumer market
- Deep manufacturing and supply chains
Fun facts
- The whole of China uses Beijing time, even though the country is wide enough for five time zones.
- Chinese New Year follows the lunar calendar, so its date changes every year.
Figures are rounded and approximate.
Business Setup Services
Company, bank, payroll, brand and licencesNot a residency routeWe handle company incorporation, bank account and payroll set-up, trademark filing and the licences and permits your business needs. Tell us what you need.
Cards without a "last verified" date have not been independently checked yet. Confirm the details with the official source before you act.
Warning: These do not grant residency on their own. A separate visa is required.
Company Registration
Set up your legal entity so you can operate, hire and pay tax.
Social Organization / NGO Registration
Official source: mca.gov.cn
Wholly Foreign-Owned Enterprise (WFOE) Registration
Last verified October 2026 · Official source: en.moc.gov.cn
Business Bank Account
Opening an account with a bank in China
Open a business bank account for your new company. ORBIZLY prepares the application, and the bank decides.
Official source: pbc.gov.cn
Employer and Payroll Registration
Registering as an employer in China
Register as an employer so you can hire and run payroll. Handled by the local tax bureau and the social insurance and housing fund offices.
Official source: chinatax.gov.cn
Trademark Filing
Trademark Filing (CNIPA)
Last verified October 2026 · Official source: english.cnipa.gov.cn
IP and Patent Filing
IP and Patent Filing (CNIPA)
Protect your invention with a patent. Filed with the China National Intellectual Property Administration.
Official source: english.cnipa.gov.cn
Licences
Permits that let your products and business operate legally: import permits, tax and goods/services registration, sector-specific permits, export licences, drug and health, food safety, lab test reports and product trials.
Customs Registration and Import Permits
Register as an importer and get permits for regulated goods. Handled by the General Administration of Customs of China.
Official source: english.customs.gov.cn
Tax and Goods/Services Registration
Register for tax and for goods and services tax. Handled by the State Taxation Administration.
Official source: chinatax.gov.cn
Sector-Specific Permits
Permits for regulated industries. Overseen by the sector regulators and the local market regulation bureau.
Official source: samr.gov.cn
Export Licence
Get permission to export controlled goods. Handled by the Ministry of Commerce and China Customs.
Official source: english.mofcom.gov.cn
Drug and Health Product Licence
Approval to sell medicines, devices and health products. Handled by the National Medical Products Administration.
Official source: english.nmpa.gov.cn
Food Safety Licence and Registration
Register your food business and get approval to import or sell food. Handled by the State Administration for Market Regulation and Customs (overseas food facility registration).
Official source: samr.gov.cn
Lab Test Reports and Product Certification
Get your product tested and certified for the market. Overseen through the Certification and Accreditation Administration and CNAS accredited labs (CCC mark).
Official source: cnca.gov.cn
Product Trial and Sample Approval
Approval to trial a new product before launch. Handled by the National Medical Products Administration.
Official source: english.nmpa.gov.cn
Residency & Visa Pathways
Programs that grant residenceThese grant a right to live and work in the country. Talk to an expert before you apply.
Private Business Residence Permit (Entrepreneur, Pilot Zones)
Start a business in a designated pilot zone (Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen). No fixed national minimum — requirements set locally.
Last verified September 2026 · Official source: en.nia.gov.cn; english.beijing.gov.cn
R Visa (High-Level Talent)
A merit-based route for high-level talent with no minimum investment. Recognition is discretionary and decided case by case.
Last verified September 2026 · Official source: en.nia.gov.cn
Permanent Residence by Investment
RMB 10,000,000 in direct and stable investment held for 3 consecutive years. Leads directly to a Foreign Permanent Resident ID.
Last verified September 2026 · Official source: en.nia.gov.cn
Questions about moving a business to China
What business immigration options are there for China?
ORBIZLY lists investor programs (Permanent Residence by Investment) and startup visas (Private Business Residence Permit (Entrepreneur, Pilot Zones) and R Visa (High-Level Talent)). Each is shown on this page with its status, the official source and when it was last verified. Rules change, so confirm the details with the official source before you apply.
Can I relocate my business to China?
It depends on your business and the route you choose, and it is really two separate things: setting up or moving the business, and getting the right to live there. Company registration, a bank account, tax and licences are the set-up side. A visa or residence permit is the residency side. Start with the free eligibility check to see which routes fit your business.
Does registering a company in China give me residency?
No. Registering a company does not give you the right to live in China on its own. Residency needs a separate visa or residence permit.
What do I need to set up a business in China?
The usual order is: plan, register the company, open the tax and bank accounts, register as an employer, protect your brand, then get any licences and permits. For China, ORBIZLY lists import permits, drug and health licences, export licence, food safety, ip and patent filing, lab test reports, business bank account, product trials, employer and payroll registration, sector-specific permits, company registration, tax and goods/services registration, and trademark filing. Government fees are paid to the authorities and are separate from ORBIZLY's fees.
How do I start moving my business to China?
Take the free eligibility check, which takes about three minutes, or book a free 15-minute discovery call. ORBIZLY then shows which routes look like a fit and what to do first. ORBIZLY gives directional guidance and is not a law firm or immigration adviser.
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Brands built in China
Well-known companies from China, including unicorns and businesses that grew a global presence.
Alibaba
E-commerce and cloud computing
Tencent
WeChat, gaming and digital services
Huawei
Telecom equipment and smartphones
BYD
One of the world's largest electric vehicle makers
DJI
The leading maker of consumer drones
Examples only. Logos belong to their owners and are shown to identify the companies. A unicorn is a private start-up valued above US$1 billion at some point.
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