Foreign Professional Qualifications Now Qualify for Professional Title Applications
To thoroughly implement the Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, further deepen the reform of the professional title system, and accelerate the development of an internationally aligned talent evaluation system, the Guangzhou Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau has officially issued the Guangzhou Municipal Catalogue of Foreign Professional Qualifications Corresponding to Professional Titles (2025 Edition) (hereinafter referred to as the Catalogue) recently.
The Catalogue includes a total of 170 foreign professional qualifications from the Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions of China, as well as countries including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Japan. Based on their professional competence and international recognition, these qualifications are scientifically aligned with three levels of professional titles in China’s professional title system: Assistant Engineer, Engineer and Senior Engineer. Among them, 50 qualifications correspond to Assistant Engineer, 90 to Engineer and 30 to Senior Engineer, forming a well-structured and tiered pathway for the convergence of talent evaluation standards.
This initiative is aimed at further smoothing the development channels for international professionals in Guangzhou, optimizing the talent development ecosystem, and injecting strong impetus into the high-quality economic and social development of Guangzhou and the construction of a high-level talent hub in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
Developing a Talent Recruitment Framework Covering Six Key Sectors
The newly released Catalogue is a targeted guideline for talent introduction and cultivation, formulated upon in-depth research, scientific demonstration and extensive solicitation of opinions. It closely aligns with Guangzhou’s strategic deployment of “Industry First, Manufacturing as the Cornerstone of the City” and the development needs of building the “12218” modern industrial system. With a distinct industrial orientation in its sectoral distribution, the Catalogue precisely maps out a talent recruitment framework covering six key priority areas:
- Information Technology and Artificial Intelligence (58 qualifications)Accounting for the largest share, this sector covers cutting-edge fields such as cloud computing, big data, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and software development, including certifications from AWS, Azure, Cisco, IEEE and ACM. It strongly underpins Guangzhou’s development into an innovation-led digital economy hub.
- Engineering Construction, Architecture and Transportation (46 qualifications)Covering architecture design, civil engineering, urban and rural planning, engineering survey and other professions, it includes qualifications such as Hong Kong Surveyors, Architects and Planners, as well as internationally recognized credentials including RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) and CEng (Chartered Engineer). This consolidates and elevates the internationalization level of Guangzhou’s urban construction and governance.
- Advanced Manufacturing and Automation (22 qualifications)Focusing on mechanical engineering, automobile manufacturing, industrial automation and quality control, this sector includes certifications from ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) and Japan’s Professional Engineer (P.E.) qualifications, fueling the transformation and upgrading of “Guangzhou Manufacturing” to “Guangzhou Intelligent Manufacturing”.
- Biomedicine and Healthcare (22 qualifications)Covering clinical research, medical testing and medical devices, it precisely meets the development needs of Guangzhou’s 100-billion-yuan biomedicine industrial cluster and attracts top international scientific research talents.
- Green Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development (13 qualifications)Including professionals with internationally mainstream green building certifications such as LEED, BREEAM and DGNB, as well as environmental engineering-related qualifications, it demonstrates Guangzhou’s firm commitment to advancing green and low-carbon development.
- Energy, Chemical Engineering and Materials (9 qualifications)Covering petrochemical engineering, chemical engineering and advanced materials, this sector reserves high-end talents for safeguarding energy security and developing core technologies with independent intellectual property rights.
The issuance of the Catalogue provides clear and stable institutional expectations for professionals holding relevant foreign professional qualifications to develop their careers in Guangzhou. In accordance with the provisions, holding a valid qualified certificate entitles the holder to apply for professional titles. Professional and technical personnel who hold valid foreign professional qualification certificates listed in the Catalogue and engage in professional work consistent with or related to the certificate’s field in Guangzhou may apply for the corresponding level of professional title based on the qualification alignment rules.
Equal Recognition of Domestic and Overseas Professional Experience
Overseas professional and technical work experience of talents shall be deemed equivalent to domestic work experience, and achievements, papers and publications obtained overseas are recognized as valid supporting materials for applications. The renewal period of overseas qualification certificates may also be cumulatively calculated with the original valid period.
Multi-level Adaptation of Graded Foreign Qualifications
Foreign professional qualifications held by applicants can not only serve as the basis for applying for professional titles at the corresponding level, but also be used as a prerequisite for applying for a higher-level professional title in combination with the holder’s professional working years. This has established a smooth channel for the career advancement of international talents in China.
It should be noted that this qualification alignment is not a direct replacement for professional title certificates. Applicants are still required to participate in the professional title appraisal for the corresponding discipline (major) in accordance with the annual professional title appraisal notice of Guangzhou, submit relevant materials and undergo a comprehensive evaluation by the expert appraisal committee.
This policy imposes no restrictions on the nationality of applicants. Foreign nationals, residents from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, as well as domestic professionals with international backgrounds who have obtained foreign professional qualifications, are all eligible to apply as long as they work in Guangzhou and meet the relevant requirements.
