Expat Executives in China Happy with Work, Pay
By wchung | 21 Jun, 2026

Expat Heaven: Most foreign executives working in China report satisfaction with the environment and compensation levels.

The vast majority of foreign executives working in China report satisfaction with the environment and compensation levels.

Expats are pleased with China’s dynamic, high-growth business environment and globally competitive compensation levels, according to a survey released Monday by the Association of Executive Search Consultants (AESC).

Among senior foreign executives working in China, 70% say their pay has become more globally competitive over the last five years. Almost 90% plan to stay in China for more than three years.

The survey of over a hundred senior expat executives, 77% are working in China, mostly in upper-level management and are earning over $150,000 annually. The pay in China was the fourth highest among six nations, behind the US, the highest payer, UK and Germany and ahead of Brazil and India.

They report best aspects of working in China as its dynamic high-growth economy driven by a positive outlook, great purchasing power and a fast-paced decision-making/deal-closing culture. One reason for

China continues to experience a shortage of talent, encouraging more foreigners to seek jobs there. Fifty-seven percent of respondents plan to stay for five or more years while 32% intend to stay three to five years.

The most challenging aspects of working in China are the language barrier, lack of transparency in business regulations, corruption, bureaucracy, and pollution.

As of the end of 2010 231,700 foreigners were working in China , up from 223,000 in 2009, according to data from the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security.