英国创业移民签证吸引中国公民

Britain proved to be a growing attraction for business investors from China last year, with the number of entrepreneur visas issued to Chinese nationals more than doubling to 116.

英国证明对中国企业投资者的吸引力越来越大，去年该国向中国公民发放的创业移民签证增长一倍多，至116份。

The visas allow holders to start a UK business and earn fast-track citizenship.

创业移民签证持有人可以在英国创办企业，并通过快速通道获得英国公民身份。

This compares with an annual rise of 13 per cent to 127 for US nationals, according to figures obtained by law firm Pinsent Masons for the Financial Times.

品诚梅森律师事务所(Pinsent Masons)向英国《金融时报》提供的数据显示，英国去年向美国公民发放的创业移民签证同比增长13%，至127份。

The news comes as David Cameron prepares to visit Beijing in early December, when he is expected to say Britain is open to Chinese investment. It also supports growing evidence that the Chinese are becoming a stronger business influence in the UK, with stakes in Heathrow, Manchester’s “Airport City” and in Thames Water.

上述消息传出之际，英国首相戴维?卡梅伦(David Cameron)计划于12月初访问北京，预计届时他会表示，英国将打开大门欢迎中国投资。该消息也佐证了一个日益明显的迹象，即中国人在英国的商业影响力正变得越来越大——中国人在希思罗机场(Heathrow)、曼彻斯特机场“空港城”以及泰晤士水务(Thames Water)都拥有权益。

Entrepreneur visas allow foreign nationals to gain UK citizenship if their business fulfils criteria on access to funding, job creation or other measures of success. If, after three years, visa holders can demonstrate they have created 10 permanent jobs in the UK or generated income of at least ￡5m, they will be able to apply for indefinite leave to remain.

持有英国创业移民签证的外国公民获得英国公民身份的条件是，他们的企业在资金、创造就业或其他成功衡量标准上达标。签证持有人如果在3年后可以证明他们在英国创造了10个永久性工作岗位，或者产生了至少500万英镑的收入，就能够申请永久居留。

The total number of entrepreneur visas rose 87 per cent to 973 in 2012-13, up from 520 in 2011-12 and 293 the year before.

英国在2012-13年度发放的创业签证总数增长87%，至973份，高于2011-12年度的520份和2010-11年度的293份。

“Twenty years ago, the dream for young professionals from China and other emerging markets was to get a ‘Green Card’ to work on Wall Street or Silicon Valley,” said Jill Turner, head of corporate immigration at Pinsent Masons.

品诚梅森律所的创业移民主管吉尔?特纳(Jill Turner)表示：“20年前，来自中国和其他新兴市场的年轻专业人士的梦想是获得在华尔街或硅谷工作的‘绿卡’。”

“But London is now seen as just as exciting. Ambitious and talented Chinese entrepreneurs are flooding to the UK to take advantage of the opportunities being created by the economic recovery here, especially in .?.?. sectors such as technology, pharmaceuticals and financial services.”

“但如今他们认为伦敦同样令人振奋。雄心勃勃且具有天赋的中国企业家正大量涌入英国，以利用英国经济复苏带来的机遇，尤其是在……科技、制药和金融服务等领域。”

Ms Turner said the visas were popular because Britain was one of the fastest-growing economies, with an annualised growth rate of more than 3 per cent, making it an attractive place to start a business.

特纳表示，创业移民签证之所以受到欢迎，是因为英国是增长最为快速的经济体之一，年化增长率超过3%，这使得英国成为一个极具吸引力的创业地点。

Julie Wilson, who is head of the China desk at UHY Hacker Young, an accountancy firm, said Chinese investors were coming to London because they saw it as the centre of Europe.

UHY Hacker Young会计师事务所的中国部门主管朱莉?威尔逊(Julie Wilson)表示，中国投资者来到伦敦是因为他们认为这里是欧洲的中心。

“If they want to work outside China, the first stop is Europe. Often those applying for these visas are young graduates who want to import the family businesses into the UK,” she said.

她说道：“如果他们希望在中国以外的地区工作，首选地就是欧洲。申请此类签证的人往往是那些希望将家族企业引进英国的年轻毕业生。”

Other observers said one reason for the increase was last year’s closure of a visa scheme that allowed international students to stay on and work in the UK after their course had finished.

其他观察人士表示，创业移民签证数量增加的一个原因是，去年英国终止了允许国际学生在完成学业后留在英国工作的签证项目。