CHINA

Tax Hiring Surges as China Cuts Government Job Openings for First Time Since 2019

Published: Oct. 16, 2025 12:45 a.m. GMT+8

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Registration for China’s 2026 civil service exam opened Oct. 15, with 38,100 positions on offer—the first annual cut since 2019

China’s tax authority is ramping up recruitment even as the country cuts back on overall civil service hiring for the first time in seven years.

Registration for the 2026 national civil service exam, which opened Oct. 15, aims to fill 38,100 positions — down 1,602 from the previous year and the first annual reduction since 2019. By 4 p.m. on the first day, 173,831 people had applied, a slight decline from the same period last year.

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This is an AI-generated English rendering of original reporting or commentary published by Caixin Media. In the event of any discrepancies, the Chinese version shall prevail.

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China cut overall civil service recruitment for 2026 to 38,100 positions, the first reduction since 2019, while tax-related roles increased by 1,990 to 25,004, making up 65.6% of all posts.
Grassroots recruitment dominates, with 73.9% of roles at county level or below, and 26,000 jobs reserved for recent graduates amid 18.9% youth unemployment.
Other departments, including railway police, significantly reduced hiring; tax positions remain the most popular among applicants.

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Who’s Who

Offcn Education: Li Qian, an education expert at Offcn Education, believes that the increase in tax authority recruitment is due to the retirement of employees hired in the 1980s and the demand for digital talent under the latest tax reform. These roles necessitate expertise in finance, accounting, statistics, and computer science to bolster economic development.

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