Beijing is making it easier for global science and tech talent to do research, business, cultural and education exchanges in China. Starting this month, it launched a new “K visa.”

This comes as the U.S. is cutting research grants and choking H-1B talent visas. Overseas, observers lauded the move by the Chinese government. However, within China, the K visa has stirred anxiety about the tough job market and sparked a furious backlash.

“Attracting foreign talent with the K visa is a good thing, but it comes at the worst time,” wrote popular science and current affairs commentator Xiang Dongliang.

The K visa allows foreign graduates in science, technology, engineering and mathematics multiple entries, longer duration of stays and validity period. Unlike other visa categories, the K visa does not require Chinese employer sponsorship

It was announced back in August as part of the Chinese government’s ongoing efforts to attract foreign tourists and investment after the pandemic. The K visa garnered very little public reaction at the time.

“It is kind of an obscure topic,” Xiang told Marketplace.

That changed in late September, when President Donald Trump signed a proclamation to charge companies a $100,000-fee for H-1B talent visas.

“The whole idea is no more will these big tech companies or other big companies train foreign workers,” Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick told reporters.

Indian tech workers are the most affected. So the media in India started contrasting Trump’s H-1B restrictions to other countries’ treatment of global talent. One outlet called the K visa “China’s answer to the H-1B”.

“Beijing’s pitch is clear: skip the drama, pack your bags and we’ll give you ample opportunities,” said anchor Palki Sharma Upadhyay on the Indian news site, Firstpost.

The clip, along with other Indian reports, got re-posted on Chinese social media, triggering a backlash.

“People were worried that Indian workers would flood China and compete for jobs,” Xiang said, adding that a smaller group of people were concerned about increased competition in the marriage market.

Some comments veered into xenophobic and racist rhetoric.

Others were linked to how brutal the current job hunt is with another 12.2 million graduates this year.

“So, when public policy adds insult to injury, people react strongly,” Xiang said.

On social media platform Weibo, user Qingsongzhiqieting wrote: “You want to turn job hunting into gladiator combat? Or do you want a real-life version of Squid Games?” referencing the dystopian South Korean drama.

Youth unemployment in September was 17.7%, after surging to 18.9% in August — the highest level since December 2023 when the calculation method changed.

Tech, academic tutoring and real estate sectors that used to hire many new graduates are no longer as lucrative as before. But it’s not just the youth complaining about the lack of suitable jobs.

“This applies to all sectors, but finding a job is difficult especially for young graduates and those over 35,” Xiang said.

Age discrimination is common in China where employers prefer younger workers who can do a lot of overtime.

“Over the last two years, even when I write about topics unrelated to jobs and the economy, many readers still leave comments related to those topics such as, ‘People can’t find jobs, so what’s the point of caring?’” Xiang said. “Or, ‘The most pressing issue is to help people find work and earn income.’”

Chinese officials have yet to provide eligibility details. Initial reports indicate K visas would be issued to tech and scientific talent with a bachelor’s degree or above from top Chinese and foreign universities.

Some critics said the bachelor’s degree is a low threshold. Many Chinese graduates note that they need to have a master's or doctorate degree to land jobs because of the stiff competition.

China’s government media has pushed back. A documentary director for Beijing Radio and Television, Qiao Lujing, argued that the K visa is more limited than the H-1B.

“It does not mean a K visa will entitle global talent to permanent residency or even to work in China. They must still follow the existing application and approval process,” Qiao said.

China will issue K visas to young foreign talent that the country truly needs, assured retired editor-in-chief of the Communist party tabloid, Global Times and popular commentator, Hu Xijin.

“It won't become a charitable program for unemployed youth abroad to find work in China,” he said in a video on TikTok’s sister site, Douyin.

Hu argued that China did not have enough foreigners. 

According to the latest census in 2020, less than 0.1% of the Chinese population are foreigners, versus 15% in the U.S.

In an attempt to quell the backlash, a People’s Daily commentary said some people were “misinterpreting the policy and making outlandish claims that mislead the public” and causing “unnecessary anxiety.”

“China is more hungry for talent than ever,” the commentary said, referencing an old but often cited government data that this year, an estimated 30 million roles in manufacturing will go unfilled.

The People’s Daily article generated more public anger.

Weibo user Shiziyuqiannaoyangdachen wrote: “You said K visas won’t affect our jobs. Then you said there’s a talent gap of 30 million. So, you just want to bring in immigrants.”

Xiang said it is difficult for the Chinese public to differentiate what types of talent China lacks.

“The public can only see that university graduates are struggling to find good jobs or earning low salaries,” he said. 

“So, introducing young people from abroad at this point seems inappropriate.”

Additional research by Charles Zhang