Beijing, Sep 15 (IANS): China will make it easier for foreigners to apply for permanent residence permits, or "green card", to attract more talent from overseas, a high-level meeting decided on Tuesday.

China will "optimise" requirements and streamline procedures for applications, Xinhua news agency quoted a statement released after the 16th meeting of the Central Leading Group for Deepening Overall Reform.

The meeting chaired by President Xi Jinping passed a guideline on the management of foreigners' permanent residence.

"China will manage foreigners' permanent residence in a reasonable, open and pragmatic manner," said the statement.

Foreign employees working in seven kinds of companies or institutions, including national labs, engineering research centres, technology centres of state-accredited high-tech companies and foreign-funded R&D centres, are currently able to apply.

Applicants must hold professional titles at or above associate professor or associate fellow-level and should have been working in China for more than four years with sound tax-records.

Candidates should file applications to municipal-level public security departments where they work.

Foreigners with permanent residence will enjoy the same rights as Chinese citizens in areas such as investment, house purchases and schooling.