Published by ChinaMNC · Pingyuan

Demystifying China's Personnel File System for Foreign Founders in Dezhou

A practical guide for foreign entrepreneurs on how China's personnel files (dang'an) work, where they go after graduation, and how to check their status in Dezhou. Includes a full list of public employment and talent service centers in Dezhou with addresses and phone numbers.

What Is a Personnel File and Why Does It Matter?

In China, every student has a student status file while in school. Upon graduation, it becomes a personnel file (often called dang'an). This file is a key reference for employment assessments and carries legal effect. It is required for procedures such as probationary period completion and grade determination, professional title applications, and processing pension insurance and related certificates. For foreign founders building a team in China, understanding how these files are managed helps ensure compliance and smooth HR operations.

Where Does a Graduate's File Go?

Many graduates lose track of their files, leading to confusion when they later need them. Generally, after graduation, a student's file follows one of five paths:

• Continuing studies at the same institution: The file remains at the school.
• Continuing studies at another institution: The file is transferred to the new school.
• Employed by a work unit with file custody authority: The file is transferred to the employer.
• Employed by a unit without file custody authority, but the unit has arranged collective entrusted storage at a public employment and talent service agency: The file is transferred to that agency.
• Employed by a unit without file custody authority and without collective storage arrangements, or unemployed, not yet employed, or self-employed: The file is returned to the public employment and talent service agency at the county (city, district) level where the individual's household registration (hukou) is located.

How to Check Your File Status

If you are unsure where your file is, you can check its status online. Download and register on the "Ai Shandong" mobile app or its Alipay mini-program. On the home page, search for "personal file status query" (个人档案状态查询) and tap to enter. You can then view your file information.

Dezhou's Public Employment and Talent Service Centers

For foreign founders operating in Dezhou, the following public employment and talent service centers manage personnel files for流动人员 (mobile personnel). Below is the contact information for each center:

• Dezhou Public Employment and Talent Service Center
  Room 315, 3rd Floor, Human Resources Building, No. 1001 Guofang Road, Dezhou
  Phone: 0534-7908051
• Decheng District Public Employment and Talent Service Center
  No. 53 Xinhu South Road, Decheng District
  Phone: 0534-2671723
• Lingcheng District Public Employment and Talent Service Center
  No. 4452 Lingzhou West Road, Lingcheng District
  Phone: 0534-8221147
• Ningjin County Public Employment and Talent Service Center
  Room F, 2nd Floor, Block A, New Convenience Service Center, Ningjin County
  Phone: 0534-5216725
• Qingyun County Public Employment and Talent Service Center
  Room 703, Block B, Qingyun County Government Service Center
  Phone: 0534-3785629
• Linyi County Public Employment and Talent Exchange Center
  No. 266 Yongxing Street, Linyi County
  Phone: 0534-4361130
• Qihe County Public Employment and Talent Service Center
  Room 201, No. 456 Qilu Street, Qihe County
  Phone: 0534-5321157
• Pingyuan County Public Employment and Talent Service Center
  Room 303, Pingyuan County Human Resources and Social Security Bureau, No. 2069 Xinhua South Road, Pingyuan County
  Phone: 0534-4211922
• Xiajin County Public Employment and Talent Service Center
  Room 108, Human Resources and Social Security Bureau, No. 80 Cuigong West Street, Xiajin County
  Phone: 0534-3211743
• Wucheng County Public Employment and Talent Service Center
  No. 57 Zhenhua West Street, Wucheng County
  Phone: 0534-6211042
• Dezhou Tianqu New Area Social Affairs Management Department
  Room 422, 4th Floor, Building 2, Jinghua Road High-tech Innovation Center, Tianqu New Area, Dezhou
  Phone: 0534-2753181
• Leling City Public Employment and Talent Service Center
  No. 262 Zhenxing East Road, Leling City
  Phone: 0534-6990128, 0534-6990157
• Yucheng City Public Employment and Talent Service Center
  1st Floor, Human Resources Market, No. 6 Fuhua Street, Yucheng City
  Phone: 0534-7365322, 0534-7221784

Practical Implications for Foreign Founders

As a foreign founder, you may not have a Chinese personnel file, but your Chinese employees do. Understanding the file system helps you:

• Guide new hires on where to transfer their files after graduation or when changing jobs.
• Determine whether your company has file custody authority; if not, consider arranging collective entrusted storage with a public employment and talent service agency.
• Ensure compliance with employment assessment, professional title applications, and social insurance procedures that require file access.

For any questions about file management in Dezhou, contact the relevant center listed above.

This summary is based on information published by the relevant Chinese government website and is general information, not legal or tax advice.