Short answer
What a release letter is
In China employment discussions, “release letter” is an informal English label. The national Labor Contract Law refers to a written certificate proving that the labor contract has been revoked or terminated. A practical Chinese title is 解除（终止）劳动合同证明; 离职证明 is also commonly used for an employment-exit certificate.
For a foreign worker, that employment certificate is only one part of the exit file. A work-permit cancellation record, residence-status action, final settlement, and reference letter have different purposes and should be requested by name.
Search questions bundled here
Questions this guide answers
- What is a release letter in China?
- What is a release letter called in Chinese?
- Is a release letter the same as a relieving or separation certificate?
- Who issues a China release letter?
- Do employees outside schools need one too?
- Is a release letter a recommendation letter?
One English phrase can hide several documents
Employees, schools, HR teams, agents, and new employers often use “release letter” as if it were a single official form. It is safer to ask what the receiving party actually needs and to write down the Chinese and English name of each document.
The employment-exit certificate proves that the labor relationship ended. It is not automatically a favorable reference, a work-permit cancellation certificate, a resignation letter, a settlement agreement, or permission to work for a new employer.
- 解除劳动合同证明: certificate that a labor contract was revoked or ended early.
- 终止劳动合同证明: certificate that a labor contract terminated, such as at expiry.
- 离职证明: a common practical label for proof that the employee left the employer.
- 外国人工作许可证注销证明: a separate certificate concerning cancellation of the Foreigner’s Work Permit.
- 推荐信 or reference letter: an employer’s assessment or recommendation, not the statutory exit certificate itself.
Who should issue it?
The employing entity named in the labor relationship should issue the written employment-exit certificate. Check the company’s exact registered name against the labor contract and the employer shown in the work-permit record. A recruiter, client, campus, or agent may not be the legal employing unit.
If a school assigned the employee to another campus or a company placed the employee with a client, identify which entity signed and performed the employment contract before accepting a document from someone else.
Who needs one?
The Labor Contract Law duty is not limited to foreign teachers or schools. The certificate is an employment record. Foreign workers notice it more often because an employment exit can also affect the work-permit and residence processes.
Whether a particular authority, embassy, agent, or new employer asks for an original, translation, additional company statement, or work-permit cancellation certificate is a separate procedural question. Ask the receiving office for its current checklist.
Name the document before you solve the problem
Send a numbered checklist rather than repeatedly asking for “the release letter.” Ask HR to confirm which item it will issue, the exact date, whether the company seal will be applied, and who will complete the work-permit step.
- Employment-exit certificate showing the labor relationship ended.
- Resignation, mutual termination, non-renewal, or employer termination record describing how it ended.
- Foreigner’s Work Permit cancellation application and cancellation certificate or system record.
- Residence-permit or stay-document instructions from the competent exit-entry authority.
- Final salary, severance, unused leave, tax, social-insurance, and handover records.
- Reference or recommendation letter, if wanted, requested separately.
Direct answers
Frequently asked questions
What is the simplest Chinese term to show HR?
Use 解除（终止）劳动合同证明 for the formal employment-exit certificate. 离职证明 is also widely understood, but ask the receiving party which exact document it expects.
Is a release letter a recommendation letter?
No. An exit certificate records the end of employment. A recommendation or reference evaluates the employee and is a separate document.
Does this apply only to foreign teachers?
No. The employment-certificate duty is not a school-only rule. Foreign workers have an additional work-permit and residence layer.
Can the government issue my employer’s release letter?
The employment certificate normally comes from the employing unit. Government authorities handle complaints, labor disputes, permits, and residence matters; they do not ordinarily replace the employer as the issuer of its employment record.
Is a resignation letter the same document?
No. A resignation letter records the employee’s notice or stated decision. The employment-exit certificate is issued by the employer when the labor relationship ends.
Why does the exact name matter?
Because an employment certificate, cancellation certificate, resignation, settlement, and reference can have different issuers, content, and consequences.
Primary authorities
Official sources
- Labor Contract Law, Article 50 ↗Official court-hosted English reference on the exit certificate, handover, compensation payment, and file or social-insurance transfer.
- Shanghai HRSS: required contents of an employment-exit certificate ↗Official local HRSS explanation quoting Article 24 of the Labor Contract Law Implementing Regulations.
- Rules for the Administration of Employment of Foreigners in China ↗State Council English reference on employment permits, employer changes, and steps after employment ends.
- Beijing: cancelling a Foreigner’s Work Permit ↗Official Beijing procedure showing that an employment termination certificate and a work-permit cancellation certificate are distinct records.
Source limit: National rules establish the core employment duties. Work-permit, residence, filing, document, and timing practices can differ by city and case. Confirm the current local process before acting.