Beijing has issued its first work permit for foreigners after China introduced a streamlined work permit system to attract more foreign talent. The first permit was given to a senior executive of BMW China Services Ltd, the Beijing News reported on Monday.

The new system merges two work permits required of foreigners into one in an effort to streamline the application procedure, plug loopholes in management and improve efficiency, according to the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs.

The new system was piloted in Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai and six other provincial regions from October 2016 to March 2017 before it was launched nationwide on April 1.

The work permits categorize the holders into three groups - high-end talents, professionals, and temporary and seasonal workers in service or non-technical sectors.

Applicants can apply for the permit online and the application is expected to be processed within five working days, half the time for the previous system, the administration said.

The permit assigns a unique number to the holder, listing their name, passport number, employer and other information.

According to Beijing Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau, the work permit will be recognized by departments such as public security, human resources and education.