China Implements National Guidelines to Enhance Professional Competence of Elderly Care Workers

In a significant move to enhance elderly care in China, the country has released its inaugural national guidelines focused on evaluating the skills of elderly care workers. Jointly issued by the Ministry of Civil Affairs and the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, the guidelines are directed at bolstering the capabilities of care workers in light of the increasing demands from the rapidly growing elderly population. Specifically, there is an ambitious target for more than 80 percent of workers in this field to secure basic professional competence certificates by the year 2030.

Despite there being no definitive count of elderly care workers in China, estimates indicate there is a shortage of about 5.5 million individuals in this workforce. This estimation came from a report published in December, conducted by Shanghai-based Fortune Care in partnership with various academic institutions. According to the new structure, the assessment for care workers will be conducted on an eight-level hierarchy, moving from apprentice status up to a chief skilled master level, reflecting their progression in skills and responsibilities.

Workers at the junior level are tasked with handling routine responsibilities using fundamental skills, while the chief skilled masters are expected to exhibit advanced knowledge and should earn recognition from industry or provincial skill assessment authorities. They are also required to contribute to advancements in technology and skills within the sector. Local agencies and accredited organizations are mandated to perform annual competency assessments, which will play a crucial role in influencing promotions and salary determinations for the workers.

Li Yongxin, a representative from the Ministry of Civil Affairs, highlighted at a Beijing press conference that the increase in the elderly population, which reached 297 million—making up 21.1 percent of the national demographic, as reported at the end of last year—creates an urgent demand for improved elderly care services. Notably, 217 million individuals are aged 65 and older, further emphasizing the need for skilled labor in this sector. Li expressed that the lack of skilled care providers is a pressing issue, and the newly established evaluation system aims to standardize skill recognition, leading to fairer remuneration based on performance.

On the same day, additional guidelines were released to enhance training opportunities for workers in the social and civil affairs sectors, including areas such as funeral services and charitable work. Zhang Yuxing, another official from the Ministry of Civil Affairs, noted that the updated framework will provide workers with improved access to vocational training, clearer pathways for career growth, and enhanced compensation that is aligned with their job performance.