On 8 January 2013, the Ministry of Manpower published a note on new rules to receive the Training Employment Pass (TEP) for immigrants with higher education certificates from China. Specifically,from 4 February 2013, applicants of TEP (or possessors of TEP that want to renew their permit) who hold an academic degree from an institution of higher learning in China, may be asked for a verification proof of their qualifications by an independent agency. The Ministry of Manpower will determine on a case-by-case basis, whether such verification is required. The approved verification agencies are: CHESICC, China Higher Education Student Information and Career Center; CDGDC, China Academic Degrees and Graduate Education Information; and Dataflow.