China Relaxes Age Rule in Civil Service Exam to Address Aging Workforce
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China will begin accepting applications Wednesday for its 2026 national civil service exam with a landmark revision: The age cap for most applicants will rise for the first time in decades from 35 to 38, reflecting Beijing’s broader effort to gradually delay retirement and keep older workers in the labor force.
According to an official notice released Tuesday, the exam — often referred to as the “guokao,” or national civil service exam — will recruit 38,100 new civil servants, down 1,602 from last year and marking the first decline in hiring since 2019. Written tests will be held on Nov. 30 in major cities and provincial capitals nationwide.
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- China raised the age cap for its 2026 national civil service exam from 35 to 38, with graduates holding master’s or doctoral degrees eligible up to 43.
- Recruitment will drop to 38,100 positions, down 1,602 from last year, marking the first decline since 2019.
- The changes support delayed retirement, address age discrimination, and may influence broader employment policies for middle-aged workers.
- By 2023：
- About 10 provinces had relaxed the civil service age cap from 35, mostly selectively.
- 2024：
- China's government releases its employment-first strategy, explicitly calling for the removal of unreasonable restrictions and discrimination in hiring.
- September 2024：
- China approves a plan to raise the retirement age starting 2025-01-01.
- 2025：
- At the annual legislative meetings, delegates call for government agencies to end age discrimination in hiring.
- 2025：
- Several provincial-level civil service job postings allow applicants up to 40 or 45 years old for certain positions. Shanghai and Jiangsu set new higher age thresholds for their 2025 exams.
- 2025-01-01：
- China begins raising the retirement age for employees, with incremental increases every four months.
- 2025-10-15：
- China releases an official notice announcing changes to the 2026 national civil service exam, including raising the age cap for most applicants from 35 to 38.
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