China has begun considering relaxing the policy for the application of a green card to attract more foreign workers.

On Monday, the Organizational Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China announced that they have drafted rules on foreigners' permanent residency. They will also start considering more flexible standards for green card application, according to China.org.

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China launched the green card policy in 2004 to allow high-end foreign experts to obtain permanent residency in the country. Those with large investments and significant contributions to the Asian country could also apply for the green card.

Mark Levine, an English professor in Beijing, has stayed in China for eight years. He expressed doubts in being able to obtain permanent residency. One of his pals has already given up halfway through the application process because the requirements are difficult to comply with.

Noyan Rona, a Turkish native employed in the Turkish Garanti Bank in Shanghai, had to wait for five years before becoming an honorary citizen in the city and receiving his green card in 2010. He said China should indeed relax its green card threshold and improve benefits for foreigners who are able to obtain permanent residency.

Rona said he now has a green card, but he cannot easily avail of services that Chinese residents can, such as opening a bank account. He said banks, hospitals, and other service agencies do not recognize the green card, but ask for a passport.

By 2011, only 4,700 out of the 600,000 foreigners in China have received their green cards.

Acording to Center for China and Globalization director Wang Zhenyao, experts with provincial government recommendations have better chances of getting hired, and this could help attract foreign talent. However, this move is not enough to meet the demand for foreign talent.

Wang suggested widening the coverage of green card to include foreigners with stable jobs and good educational background because China needs their skills. He also said the state should use the green card to help bring back Chinese citizens who have gone abroad.

At present, China is experiencing a deficit in terms of the flow of people because more experts are exiting the country rather than entering. Therefore, the Chinese government has started considering relaxing its green card policy.