China Launches K Visa To Attract Global STEM Talent Amid US H-1B Visa Fee Hike

Beijing, September 22 (TNA) In a strategic move to capitalise on the United States’ recent decision to impose a $100,000 fee on new H-1B visas, China announced the introduction of a new visa category called the “K visa,” effective from October 1, 2025.

The K visa is specifically designed to attract young science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professionals worldwide, offering a faster, more flexible pathway to work, study, and innovate in China.

Unlike the existing US H-1B visa, which now demands high fees and employer sponsorship, the Chinese K visa allows eligible applicants to apply without needing a domestic invitation or employer sponsorship. Holders of the K visa are permitted multiple entries, longer stays, and activities including education, research, entrepreneurship, cultural exchange, and business ventures.

China’s Premier Li Qiang signed the regulation change to expand visa categories to better facilitate global talent inflow, signalling Beijing’s intent to strengthen its innovation ecosystem by attracting the world’s best young professionals and researchers. This move is viewed as Beijing’s keen attempt to boost its technological and scientific capabilities in the ongoing global competition for top STEM talent.

The US administration under President Donald Trump announced a sharp increase in H-1B visa fees to protect American jobs, but experts perceive this as a strategic error that could propel China ahead in the global tech race. With Indian and Chinese STEM graduates among the largest beneficiaries of the H-1B program, many are now considering China’s welcoming K visa program as an attractive alternative.

The K visa’s introduction highlights a major shift in the global migration patterns of skilled professionals, where China seeks to fill the void created by America’s tightening immigration policies with enhanced opportunities and fewer barriers for international STEM talent.