Against the backdrop of China's deepening reform and opening up, more and more foreigners are coming to China to live and work. As the number of foreigners working in China increases year by year, labor disputes involving "foreign workers" have also increased accordingly.
在我国深化改革开放的大背景下，越来越多的外国人来到中国生活并就业。随着来华工作的外籍人数逐年上升，涉及“洋打工”的劳动争议纠纷也相应增加。
According to the "Regulations on the Administration of Employment of Foreigners in China", disputes between foreigners and employers can be governed by the Labor Law and the Labor and Personnel Dispute Mediation and Arbitration Law. However, except for the provisions on foreigners' wages not lower than the local minimum wage standard when working in China, as well as provisions on working hours, rest and vacation, labor safety and health, and social insurance in accordance with relevant national regulations, other labor rights and obligations are not stipulated. This leads to problems in practice where foreigners do not have employment permits or other documents, resulting in unclear labor relations with employers or even falling into the category of "black labor". Additionally, there are also issues regarding the applicability of labor contract law provisions to other labor rights and obligations of foreigners.
按《外国人在中国就业管理规定》，外国人与用人单位之间的争议可以适用劳动法和劳动人事争议调解仲裁法，但除了对外国人在中国工作时工资不低于当地最低工资标准，以及工作时间、休息休假、劳动安全卫生以及社会保险按国家有关规定执行作出规定外，其他劳动权利义务并未作出规定。这就导致在实践中容易出现外国人没有就业证或其他证件，从而与用人单位之间劳动关系不明、甚至沦落为“打黑工”，以及对于外国人其他劳动权利义务能否适用劳动合同法规定等问题。In practice, there are various types of labor disputes among foreigners. This article will review several typical cases of labor disputes among foreigners, to conduct in-depth analysis and interpretation. I hope to take this opportunity to remind employers to regulate employment, and when workers encounter disputes, they should also use legal weapons reasonably to safeguard their legitimate rights and interests.
实践中外国人劳动争议多种多样，本文将对几起典型的外国人劳动争议案件进行整理回顾。希望借此提醒用人单位规范用工，劳动者遇到争议时也应合理运用法律武器，来维护自身合法权益。Case
案例
Foreign employees facing difficulties in obtaining resignation certificates
外籍员工办理离职证明被“卡”
Recently, Mr. Zhu reported that he resigned from the company shortly after obtaining foreign nationality, but unexpectedly encountered difficulties from his "old employer" during the process of resignation.
近日，本报接到一起来访电话，朱先生反映其在取得外国国籍不久后从公司离职，不想却在办理离职过程中遇到了“老东家”的刁难。
Mr. Zhu, who is over 50 years old this year and has been working in a technical position in an IT company in Shanghai for 16 years, couldn't help but sigh when he first joined the company: "Time flies!" It is understood that Mr. Zhu joined the company in 2006 and changed to a foreign nationality in 2012, and obtained a foreign employment permit. Not long after, Mr. Zhu's company was merged by a large IT innovation technology service company, and Mr. Zhu signed a new labor contract with the company until he resigned from the company in 2022.
朱先生如今年逾50，在上海某IT企业的技术岗位上工作已有十六年之久，回忆起初进公司的时候，朱先生不禁感慨道：“岁月不饶人呐！”据了解，朱先生2006年进入该公司工作，2012年朱先生变更为某外国国籍，并办理了外国人就业证。不久后，朱先生所在公司被一家大型IT创新技术服务公司兼并，朱先生与该公司重新签订了劳动合同，直至2022年他向公司提出离职。
Actually, it's not that I'm leaving, it's because the company wants me to leave. Because last year when I was abroad during the pandemic, the company thought I had delayed work progress and made mistakes, so through some online processes, it seems like they terminated my labor contract with me. I was confused and didn't react.
“其实也不是我要离职，是公司想让我走人。因为去年疫情的时候我在国外，公司认为我耽误了工作进度、存在过错，所以通过一些线上流程，好像就跟我解除了劳动合同，我稀里糊涂都没反应过来。”
In October 2022, Mr. Zhu returned to China and found his next job. He went to the company offline to handle resignation procedures and requested the cancellation of his employment permit and residence permit. But the resignation certificate provided by the company was incorrectly stated in the entry time, so Mr. Zhu requested the company to reissue it to avoid delaying the progress of joining the new company. They are pushing and pushing, but they just don't want me to get it. They say I have foreign nationality, so they need to submit materials like this to handle it again. I can't figure it out, but it took a long time in the end, "Mr. Zhu said.
2022年10月份，朱先生回国找好了下一份工作，前往该公司线下办理离职手续，并请求注销就业证和居留许可。但公司给出的离职证明在入职时间上表述有误，朱先生便要求公司重新开具，以免耽误入职新公司的进度。“他们推三阻四的，就是不想给我弄，说我是外国国籍，所以要交这样那样的材料才能重新办，我也搞不清楚，反正最后拖了好久。”朱先生说。
In April 2023, when the reporter contacted Mr. Zhu, he revealed that although it took several months, under his constant urging, the company finally completed the relevant procedures as required. Currently, he has successfully resigned from the company.
2023年4月份，记者与朱先生取得联系时，其透露，虽历时几个月，但在自己的不断催促下，最终该公司终于按照要求办好了相关手续，目前其已顺利从该公司离职。
[Lawyer Interpretation] Do foreign employees need to obtain a resignation certificate when leaving a Chinese company? What should foreign employees do if the company does not cooperate?
【律师解读】 外籍员工从中国公司离职时，需要办理外籍员工离职证明吗？如果公司不配合，外籍员工应该怎么办？
When a foreign employee resigns from a Chinese company, the company needs to obtain a resignation certificate for the foreign employee. In the process of canceling the Foreigner's Work Permit, residence permit, and applying for a new work visa, a resignation certificate is a necessary document
外籍员工从中国公司离职时，公司需要为外籍员工办理离职证明。“注销《外国人工作许可证》、注销居留许可、申请新工作签证等流程中，离职证明均是必要提供的文件材料。”
According to Article 25 of the "Regulations on the Administration of Employment of Foreigners in China", labor disputes between employers and employed foreigners should be handled in accordance with the "Labor Law of the People's Republic of China" and the "Labor Dispute Mediation and Arbitration Law of the People's Republic of China". If the company does not cooperate in issuing a resignation certificate, foreign employees can file a complaint and report through the labor administrative department (labor supervision), or apply for arbitration with the labor arbitration department based on their passport, work permit, and relevant evidence to protect their legitimate rights and interests due to damage to their rights and interests
根据《外国人在中国就业管理规定》第二十五条规定，用人单位与被聘用的外国人发生劳动争议，应按照《中华人民共和国劳动法》和《中华人民共和国劳动争议调解仲裁法》处理。“若因公司不配合开具离职证明，外籍员工可通过劳动行政部门（劳动监察）部门投诉举报，亦可因权益受到损害而向劳动仲裁部门凭借护照、工作许可证及相关证据申请仲裁以维护自身合法权益。”
In addition, there are two situations for foreign employees to handle their resignation when working in China: one is to continue to stay in China after leaving the previous company and move to the next company for employment; The second is to no longer stay in China for employment after leaving the previous company.
另外，外籍员工在华工作办理离职可分两种情况：一是从上一家公司离职后继续留在中国，前往下一家公司就业；二是从上一家公司离职后不再留在中国就业。
At the level of work permits, both situations belong to the situation where the Foreigner's Work Permit to China needs to be cancelled Taking Shanghai as an example, for foreign employees whose employment relationship is terminated, contracts are terminated, or their units are changed, they need to fill in relevant materials online through the Shanghai Foreigner Work Management Service System, such as the Foreigner Work Permit Cancellation Application Form, employment relationship termination, contract termination, unit change, or other relevant proof materials related to the cancellation reasons, and apply for cancellation. If it involves changing the employment of a company in China, the application for a new work permit must be processed after completing the cancellation of the original work permit.
“在工作许可层面，两者情况均属《外国人来华工作许可》需注销的情形。”以上海为例，外籍员工聘用关系解除、合同终止、变更单位等，需通过上海市外国人来华工作管理服务系统在线填报录入相关材料，如外国人来华工作许可注销申请表、聘用关系解除、合同终止、变更单位或其他与注销原因相关的证明材料等，并申请注销。涉及在华变更单位就业的，则在完成原工作许可注销后续需办理转聘申领新工作许可。
At the level of work and residence permits, the two are different. If a worker chooses to continue working in China after leaving their previous employer, they should apply for a stay visa after the original work and residence permits are cancelled. For example, during their stay in Shanghai, workers can search for new job opportunities and apply in order to the Shanghai Foreign Experts Bureau and the Shanghai Public Security Bureau Exit and Entry Management Department for the change of work unit procedures for the new work permit and residence permit within ten days of the change. If the employee no longer chooses to continue working in China after resigning, they should be present in person and, with the cooperation of the employer, complete the cancellation procedures for their residence permit in China before leaving the country.
“而在工作居留许可层面，二者则有所不同。”若从上一家单位离职后选择继续在华就业的，劳动者应在原工作许可、居留许可注销后办理停留签证。比如在上海，停留期间，劳动者可以寻找新的工作机会并在发生变更起的十日内按次序向上海市外国专家局、上海市公安局出入境管理部门申请办理新工作许可证与居留证件的变更工作单位手续。若离职后不再选择继续在华就业的，则劳动者应本人到场，在用人单位的配合下办理在华居留许可注销手续后出境。
