Shanghai Work Permit Health Check for Foreigners: Where, Cost & What to Expect (2026)

If you are moving to Shanghai to work or study for a year or more, there is one appointment nobody quite prepares you for: the mandatory health check. It is a required step for your work permit and residence permit, it happens at one specific government centre, and it is far more of a conveyor belt than a doctor's visit. I remember standing in a paper gown holding a little basket of vials wondering if I had missed a memo. You have not. Here is the whole thing, in order, so you walk in knowing exactly what happens. Do I actually need a health check for my Shanghai work permit? Yes. Foreigners applying to live, work or study in Shanghai for a year or more must complete a health examination at the Shanghai International Travel Healthcare Center, and the certificate it produces is required for your work permit and residence permit application. Tourists and short-stay visitors do not need it. It is a screening exam, not a treatment, and for the vast majority of people it is a straightforward box to tick on the way to your permit. Where do I go for the health check in Shanghai? The exam is done at the Shanghai International Travel Healthcare Center (上海国际旅行卫生保健中心) , on the ground floor…