China Eases Quarantine Period for Inbound International Travelers

Authors: Carol Zhu and Yinbing Chen

On 28 June 2022, the Comprehensive Group of the State Council Coping with Covid-19 Pandemic on Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism released the Plan for Prevention and Control of Covid-19 Pandemic (9th Edition) (the “Prevention and Control Plan”). According to the latest Prevention and Control Plan, the quarantine policy for inbound international travelers is changed from “fourteen [14] days of centralised quarantine plus seven [7] days of home-based health monitoring” to “seven [7] days of centralised quarantine plus three [3] days of home-based health monitoring”.  During the period of home-based health monitoring, the relevant individuals shall not go outside unless there is a special condition and it is necessary to go out (e.g., such as for medical attention). When going outside, such individuals shall properly adopt personal protective measures and try to avoid taking public transportation.

Key Action Points for Human Resources and In-house Counsel

During the Covid-19 pandemic period, multinational companies frequently inquire about China’s visa application policy and quarantine policy. The latest edition of the Prevention and Control Plan marks China’s first move in the last two years to ease the quarantine period for inbound travelers. It is advisable for multinational companies to pay close attention to China’s quarantine and visa policy and arrange for the international travel of expats accordingly.