Shanghai has begun offering "green channel" foreign talent services for outstanding local companies hiring high-level overseas professionals.

The Huangpu government issued the "green channel" certificates to the first batch of three companies based in the downtown district on Tuesday.

The companies, including Bureau Veritas M&O (China) Co and German Industry & Commerce, can enjoy preferential services for all kinds of applications for their senior overseas professionals.

Specialized service staff will offer tailored talent services and guidance. Local authorities will first invite the companies to take part in various training sessions and activities.

Both domestic and overseas companies in Huangpu can apply to enjoy the "green channel" talent services. But they must have a good business reputation and hire at least 20 top-level, or the city's category-A, foreign professionals, according to the Huangpu District Science and Technology Commission.

The commission has offered timely support during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic amid difficulty in hiring additional foreign staff, said Gong Ni, an official with German Industry & Commerce, a wholly foreign-owned consultancy firm.

"For instance, the time limit has been temporarily lifted for work permit extension application of many of our foreign professionals," Gong revealed, adding that the duration of residence permits of foreign staff has also been extended automatically.

The district government has opened a one-stop service window for foreign employees to apply for both work and/or residence permits. Artificial intelligence technology has been used in the permits' approval to shorten the process to five days from 20 days, the Huangpu government said.

In this regard, the district government invited more than 40 high-end foreign professionals to Yuyuan Garden Malls on Tuesday to introduce the latest foreign talent policies to them. They also watched some cultural performances.

Many heritage traditional skills of the malls, the dining and shopping facilities near the historic garden originating in a prosperous market of the City God Temple some 140 years ago, were showcased at Beaufort Terrace, a traditional Chinese opera stage.

Many foreign specialists watched and studied Tai Chi boxing, sugar painting, paper cutting and dough figurine with heritage masters.

"I think the foreign talent service of Shanghai is amazing because it makes it so easy and convenient for us to work here," said Svetoslav Chakarov from Bulgaria, a immunology professor of Jiao Tong University.

Chakarov came to Shanghai last August and currently lives in a talent apartment near the former World Expo Puxi site along the Huangpu River, several minutes' walk from his workplace near Ruijin Hospital.