Simone McCarthy
A new visa category launched by the Chinese government to attract young science and technology professionals is causing fervent backlash in China, where well-educated young people are already struggling to find work.
The new “K-visa,” launched October 1, has been touted by Chinese officials as a boon for the country’s development – and widely seen as a part of Beijing’s bid to gain an edge in its technology rivalry with the US as President Donald Trump pushes to slash federal funding for research and tightens restrictions on international students and workers.
But many voices across China have made clear they have a different view.
Discussion of the K-visa category has dominated social media in recent days, where top-trending hashtags related to the visa have reached roughly half a billion views in the space of two days.
Many voices pointed to deep-seated challenges faced by young jobseekers in China, where youth unemployment hovers close to 19% and a record 12.2 million new college graduates are competing for jobs in a tough economy.
“There are so many (master’s degree holders) here struggling to find jobs, and you are looking to bring in more talent (from overseas)?” read one comment on social media that garnered thousands of likes.
Some commentators reflected nationalist and xenophobic views within the country, with one wondering about the “endless consequences” of potentially expanding immigration. Nationalism has thrived under Chinese leader Xi Jinping, including on China’s tightly regulated social media platforms where moderate voices have been marginalized and online discourse can turn ugly when discussing foreigners.
Other commentators questioned whether applicants would be held to high enough standards.
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