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Meta title: Work and Internships for Students in China: Rules | StudyU
Meta description: Work for students in China: what a study visa allows, how to register an off-campus internship, penalties for illegal work and working after graduation.
Last modified: 2026-09-24

# Work and Internships for Students in China: What a Study Visa Allows and How to Register an Internship

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You cannot take regular employment in China on an X1 or X2 student visa or a study residence permit: working requires a work permit and a work-type residence permit. International students may do work-study (勤工助学) under their university's programme and internships, but anything off campus needs university approval and an annotation of the place and period on the residence permit. Working illegally carries a fine of $745–2,980 (¥5,000–20,000) and, in serious cases, 5–15 days' detention, deportation and a 10-year entry ban. After graduation, work in China starts with a work permit applied for by the employer.

This guide explains what is allowed, how to register an off-campus internship step by step, the risks for students and employers, and how to move from study to work after graduating.

The Academic Building of Duke Kunshan University, Kunshan, Jiangsu Province, China. Photo: Crcolas / [source](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Duke_Kunshan_University_Academic_Building.jpg), [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).

## At a glance: what is allowed {#section-1}

| What you want to do | Allowed on study status? | Condition |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Regular employment with a Chinese company | No | Work permit and work-type residence permit required |
| On-campus work-study | Yes | Under university rules, within the job types and hours set by the Ministry of Education |
| Off-campus internship or work-study | Only if registered | University approval and residence permit annotation of place and period |
| Internship organised by the university as part of the curriculum | Yes | The university chooses the placement under national rules |
| Running a business or other commercial activity | No | Explicitly prohibited for international students |
| Paid tutoring, modelling or filming without registration | No | This is unauthorised work, even if paid in cash |

Remote work for a foreign employer while studying in China is not addressed separately in the rules for international students. Before agreeing to such a project, ask your university's international office: whether something is a violation is decided by the police, not the employer.

## What the law and regulations say {#section-2}

- Exit and Entry Administration Law. Foreigners working in China must hold work permits and work-type residence permits (Art. 41). The scope of jobs and time limits for foreign students' work-study are set by the Ministry of Education with other agencies (Art. 42). Work beyond the permitted scope or time counts as illegal employment (Art. 43).
- Regulations on the Administration of Entry and Exit of Foreigners. A holder of a study residence permit may do off-campus work-study or an internship only with the university's approval and after the exit-entry authority has recorded the place and period on the permit (Art. 22). Without that annotation, off-campus work and internships are prohibited.
- Ministry of Education Order No. 42. International students may take part in work-study but may not be employed, run a business or engage in other commercial activity (Art. 30). Curriculum internships are organised by the university (Art. 20).

The key point: there is no general "right to work N hours a week" as in some other countries. There is specific work-study or an internship that the university has approved and the police have registered. If someone quotes you an "allowed number of hours", ask to see your university's rules, which will also list the permitted job types.

## How to register an off-campus internship {#section-3}

The procedure is similar across cities, but documents and timings are set by the university and the local exit-entry authority. Here is how it works at [Fudan University](https://www.studyu.org/en/university-fudan) in Shanghai (procedure in force since 1 July 2018):

1. Check eligibility. Degree students and students on inter-university or inter-departmental exchanges may apply, and only one internship at a time is allowed.
2. Get your department's approval. Submit the off-campus internship application form; the department reviews it and issues the programme's teaching plan describing the internship.
3. Get a certificate from the company. The host fills in the "International Student Off-Campus Internship Certificate" and stamps it.
4. Submit to the international office. Include the approved form, the teaching plan, the company certificate and copies of your passport and residence permit. The office forwards them to the Shanghai exit-entry bureau; check the outcome after 5 working days.
5. Have your permit annotated. Take the university's letter, the company certificate, your passport and address registration to the exit-entry bureau to add the internship to your residence permit.

Also note:

- Duration. Each annotation lasts up to 6 months; longer internships must be re-registered.
- Changing company. Within the same city, a new certificate and a record of the change are enough; a company in another city needs a new annotation.
- Changing university. The internship stops on the day you leave and resumes only after re-registration.
- X2 students. Fudan warns that students on programmes up to 6 months receive a zero-entry S2 visa for the internship period, so leaving China ends it.
- Pay. At Fudan a curriculum internship is unpaid apart from transport and meal allowances. If a company offers a salary, check with the university whether its rules still apply.

Templates are usually in the downloads section of your international office's website. For city choice, see [universities in Beijing](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-universities-in-beijing) and [universities in Shanghai](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-universities-in-shanghai).

## Risks for students and employers {#section-4}

| Who | Consequences under the Exit and Entry Administration Law |
| --- | --- |
| A student working illegally | Fine of $745–2,980 (¥5,000–20,000); in serious cases also 5–15 days' detention (Art. 80) |
| A student whose activities do not match the purpose of stay | Order to leave China within a time limit; in serious cases deportation and a 10-year entry ban (Art. 81) |
| Anyone introducing jobs to ineligible foreigners | $745 (¥5,000) per job, capped at $7,460 (¥50,000) for individuals and $14,920 (¥100,000) for organisations (Art. 80) |
| An employer hiring illegally | $1,490 (¥10,000) per foreigner, capped at $14,920 (¥100,000), plus confiscation of illegal gains (Art. 80) |

Universities must report students who break entry-exit rules to the exit-entry authority, and losing study status means losing the residence permit. "Easy" offers — posing in shops, performing in bars, teaching English through an advert — are exactly the kind of unauthorised work the law targets.

## Experience that actually helps your career {#section-5}

- Curriculum internships. If an internship is part of your programme, the university organises it and it is registered correctly from the start.
- On-campus work-study. Which positions are open to international students is decided by the university; ask the international office.
- Registered off-campus internships. Best planned for holidays or the final year.
- Chinese. For work in China, Chinese matters more than almost any CV line; see our [HSK guide](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-hsk-exam-guide).
- The university's career centre. If it runs job fairs, ask whether international students and graduates can attend.

## After graduation: moving from study to work {#section-6}

Once you graduate, your study residence permit no longer supports your stay; the university notifies the exit-entry authority. To stay and work you follow the standard route for foreign employees:

1. A job offer. The employer, not the graduate, applies for the work permit.
2. Notification letter of work permit. Before you enter, the employer obtains it online (as described on Shanghai's official portal).
3. Z visa. Issued on the basis of the work permit and other documents.
4. Work permit within 15 days of entry. In Shanghai this requires a medical examination certificate, a valid visa or residence permit and other listed documents.
5. Work-type residence permit within 30 days of entry, valid from 90 days to 5 years.

Every foreign national employed in China needs a work permit, regardless of nationality, visa type or length of employment. Requirements on experience, education and salary depend on the worker category and city, so confirm them with the employer and the local permit centre before planning a move. If post-study work shapes your choice of country, see our comparison of [China and Korea for studying](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-china-or-korea-for-studying).

## Don't build your budget on part-time work {#section-7}

Legal work-study in China is limited by job type, hours and university approval, so it cannot underpin your finances. Plan your budget as if you will earn nothing in China: tuition, housing, insurance and living costs from your own funds or a scholarship. See [the cost of studying in China](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-cost-of-studying-in-china) and our [China country page](https://www.studyu.org/en/country-china).

## Common mistakes {#section-8}

- Treating work-study as a licence to work for any employer.
- Starting an internship before the annotation is on your permit.
- Working at two places at once.
- Leaving China during an internship on a zero-entry S2 visa.
- Expecting to stay after graduation on study status.

## Checklist before accepting any job {#section-9}

1. Is it work-study under your university's programme or an internship approved by your department?
2. Will the organisation issue a stamped certificate for the exit-entry authority?
3. Are the place and period recorded on your residence permit?
4. Does it overlap with another registered internship?
5. Will you leave China during an internship on an S2 visa?

If any answer is wrong, don't start.

## FAQ {#faq}

### Can I work in China on a student visa?

Not in regular employment. Work-study under the university's programme and off-campus internships approved by the university and annotated on your residence permit are allowed.

### How many hours a week can students work in China?

There is no general hours allowance. Job types and time limits are set by Ministry of Education and university rules, and each off-campus internship is registered individually. Check with your international office.

### How do I register an internship with a Chinese company?

Get your department's approval and a stamped certificate from the company, then submit through the international office to the exit-entry authority. After review, the place and period are added to your residence permit; at Fudan each annotation lasts up to 6 months.

### What happens if I work without permission?

A fine of $745–2,980 (¥5,000–20,000) and, in serious cases, 5–15 days' detention. You may lose your study status and be ordered to leave; deportation brings a 10-year entry ban.

### Can I stay and work in China after graduating?

Yes, if an employer obtains a work permit for you. You then get a Z visa, the work permit within 15 days of entry and a work-type residence permit.

### Can I give private language lessons as a student?

Only as registered work-study or an annotated internship. Paid private lessons without registration are unauthorised work.

### Can I do an internship on an X2 visa?

It can be registered through the university, but you will receive a zero-entry S2 visa for the internship period, so leaving China ends it.

## Sources {#section-11}

- [NIA — Exit and Entry Administration Law (Arts. 30, 41–43, 80, 81)](https://en.nia.gov.cn/n147418/n147458/c155978/content.html)
- [NIA — Regulations on the Administration of Entry and Exit of Foreigners (Arts. 22, 26; Z visa)](https://en.nia.gov.cn/n147418/n147458/c155970/content.html)
- [Ministry of Education — Measures on admitting and training international students (Order No. 42, Arts. 20, 30)](http://www.moe.gov.cn/srcsite/A02/s5911/moe_621/201705/t20170516_304735.html)
- [Fudan University — off-campus internship procedure for international students](https://iso.fudan.edu.cn/51275/list.htm)
- [Shanghai official portal — how to get a work permit (January 2026)](https://english.shanghai.gov.cn/en-application/20231217/eeeb525ecc924267bb905e8b9c14af26.html)
- [ECB euro reference rates](https://www.ecb.europa.eu/stats/eurofxref/eurofxref-daily.xml)

Dollar amounts use the ECB reference rate of 29 September 2026 (€1 = $1.1355 = ¥7.6117, i.e. $1 ≈ ¥6.70) and are rounded.

During the free initial consultation, we clarify your goal, profile, timing, and budget and identify the next realistic step. [Apply](https://www.studyu.org/en/apply)

## Next steps

- [HSK Exam Guide 2026: Levels, the Switch to HSK 3.0 on 13 December, Dates, Fees and Test Centres](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-hsk-exam-guide)
- [Cost of Studying in China: Tuition, Housing and a First-Year Budget](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-cost-of-studying-in-china)
- [Universities in Beijing: Where International Students Study, What It Costs and How to Choose](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-universities-in-beijing)
- [Universities in Shanghai: Where International Students Study, What It Costs and How to Win the City Scholarship](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-universities-in-shanghai)
- [China or Korea for Studying: Costs, Language, Admission, Scholarships and Work Compared](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-china-or-korea-for-studying)
- [Studying in China for international applicants](https://www.studyu.org/en/country-china)

Updated: September 2026