Five days before their 30-day stay document expires, /u/Gypsyjunior_69r says their new job in Zhejiang is still moving through the paperwork tunnel: the work permit is not approved, the residence permit does not exist yet, and HR keeps saying, "don't worry." The deadline, meanwhile, is not taking calls.
The OP says the old employer cancelled the previous work and residence permit after the old job ended. A new employer took the documents, the local bureau reviewed original papers, and /u/Gypsyjunior_69r says the passport came back afterward. The account says all this happened while changing employers and cities inside Zhejiang.
"I now have literally five days left."
That is not a theoretical visa question. The account says they are living in a hotel, holding off on an apartment deposit, and waiting for a status that will let them stay beyond August 13. HR's reassurance may be sincere; it is not an immigration document.
"That's all well and good, but I'm the one who is potentially liable if that turns out to be wrong."
A 30-Day Label Does Not Explain The Mechanism
The first legal-eagle rule is to identify what is actually stamped in the passport. The post calls it a "30-day stay visa/permit," but does not identify the visa category. China's National Immigration Administration treats visa extensions, stay-permit renewals, and residence-permit extensions as different procedures.
Under NIA guidance, a foreigner holding a stay permit who cannot leave for objective reasons may apply to renew it. The application follows the stay-permit rules and the authority reviews the materials before deciding. That is a possible route to ask about, not a guaranteed extension and not permission created by a Reddit comment.
For ordinary visas, NIA says an application to extend stay should be filed at least seven days before expiry, with documents depending on the visa type. The law also says a foreigner must leave before the prescribed stay or residence expires unless a new document has actually been issued.
The Work Permit And The Stay Clock Are Separate
A new employer can be moving an application while the person's existing stay clock keeps running. NIA says foreigners working in China need both a work permit and a work-type residence permit; until the required documents are in place, a pending application should not be treated as a blanket right to work or remain.
The thread's replies show why internet certainty is dangerous. /u/stbn689 said a new stay permit could be requested when someone has a new job and is waiting for a work permit:
"If you have a very good reason to stay (got a new job, waiting for work permit is a good reason), you can request a new stay permit."
That is a commenter's account, not official confirmation. Another commenter described a contradictory personal experience with a PSB office. The variation is the story's warning: the phrase "30-day stay" does not tell a foreign worker what the local authority will approve next.
What To Do Before The Date Wins
Before the deadline, ask HR for the application or acceptance number, current work-permit status, copies of the cancellation record, the new contract or offer, and every receipt showing what has been submitted. Ask which Exit-Entry office is handling the stay document now that the job and residence are in a different city.
Take the passport, current stay document, accommodation registration, contract or offer, cancellation paperwork, and HR's proof of submission to the Exit-Entry office in person. Ask two plain questions: can this exact document be renewed or replaced, and what must be done if the work permit is still pending on August 13? Get the answer attached to the actual application, not just a chat message.
Do not assume hotel registration, a pending work-permit application, or a colleague's success creates the same permission. NIA says decisions on visa extensions, stay permits, and residence matters are made by the public-security Exit-Entry authority; the safer move is early, document-backed confirmation.
The OP's fear of fines, future immigration trouble, or a blacklist is not established by the thread. The safer claim is narrower: an expired document and an unconfirmed extension create a real procedural gap that HR's verbal reassurance does not close.
Sources: original Reddit post and discussion by /u/Gypsyjunior_69r; National Immigration Administration guide for visa, stay-permit and residence-permit applications; Exit and Entry Administration Law. Reddit statements are attributed personal accounts; this article does not decide whether the post's feared penalties or blacklist outcome will occur.