Work furloughs to close Beijing government offices

IMPACT – MEDIUM

What is the change? Government and quasi-governmental employees in Beijing will be given a six-day furlough to reduce the number of cars on the road during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.

What does the change mean? All government offices, including the Beijing Labor Bureau, Exit-Entry Bureau, Public Security Bureau and Foreign Affairs Office, will be closed Nov. 7 – 12 and will open instead on Sunday, Nov. 2 and Saturday, Nov. 15.

• Implementation timeframe: Nov. 2 – 15.
• Visas/permits affected: All immigration-related services.
• Who is affected: Applicants requiring immigration services.
• Impact on processing times: The closures will cause a delay of approximately one week.
• Business impact: Companies and individuals should plan for the change in schedule.
• Next steps: Applicants should submit filings as early as possible to avoid delays.

Background: Beijing will host a series of APEC meetings Nov. 4 -11. To reduce traffic and smog, officials in the Chinese capital have instituted alternating odd-even license plate driving days and will increase public transportation.

BAL Analysis: Companies are urged to file as soon as possible and to plan for delays during the suspension in services.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group in China. For additional information, please contact china@bal.com.

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