A new law passed by the National People’s Congress Standing Committee yesterday will shorten the minimum stay for foreigners who come to China to work to 90 days. Also, notably:

It allows for employers to be fined 10,000 yuan (US$1,580) for every foreigner hired illegally, Xinhua said. Authorities encourage citizens to report clues regarding foreigners who may work in China illegally, and ask universities and language schools to share employment information of students, said Xinhua.

The South China Morning Post adds:

The law comes into effect on July 1 next year, superseding the current two laws governing the immigration and emigration of foreigners and citizens of China.

Professor Ong Yew-kim, a Hong Kong-based mainland law expert, said the authorities were only putting current practice onto paper.

“Practically speaking, the mainland authorities have more or less carried out similar measures for the past few years without the support of a relevant regulation,” Ong said. The regulation spelled out rules which both foreigners and law enforcers would abide by. “It is, after all, in line with international standards in this regard,” Ong said.