Why China wants more foreign tech grads

In August, China launched a new “K visa”, to attract young science and technology graduates. It came into effect on 1st October 2025 and although there isn’t a lot of information about what the visa will allow people to do, it’s getting a lot of media attention. Many people in China aren’t happy about it. That’s because millions of Chinese graduates can’t find jobs and there are worries over preferential treatment for foreigners.

Mengchen Zhang, from the BBC’s Global China Unit, joins Hannah in the studio to explain what we know about the K visa, why the Chinese government has introduced it and why it’s so hard right now for Chinese grads to find work. We also discuss Chinese work culture, including the new concept of 007.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producer : Julia Ross-Roy Video Journalist: Baldeep Chahal Editor: Verity Wilde