The Chinese government has raised the maximum hiring age for several civil service positions from 35 to 38, marking the first such adjustment in three decades. The policy, announced earlier this week, is part of a nationwide effort to combat workplace age discrimination and bolster China’s aging workforce.
Authorities revealed the change on Tuesday, Oct. 14, ahead of the opening of applications for the national civil service exam on Wednesday, Oct. 15. Under the new rules, candidates must be between 18 and 38 years old, while the upper age limit for positions requiring master’s or doctorate degrees has been increased to 43 from 40.
“China has appropriately adjusted the age requirements for applicants taking the 2026 national civil service examination, in line with the country’s progressive approach to delaying the legal retirement age,” the state-owned Global Times newspaper wrote on Wednesday.
According to the State Administration of Civil Service, the national exam, scheduled for Nov. 30, will fill about 38,100 new civil service roles.
The policy shift comes amid growing concerns over age discrimination in China’s labour market. Many workers in their mid-30s report being turned away from job openings due to perceptions that they are too old or less adaptable. The issue has become so widespread that Chinese social media users have dubbed it the ‘curse of 35’.
China’s demographic challenges have compounded the problem. While aging populations are a worldwide phenomenon, the legacy of the one-child policy has worsened the country’s declining birth rate. By 2035, it is estimated that two in five Chinese citizens – about 400 million people – will be over 60 years old, roughly equal to the combined populations of the United States and the United Kingdom.
To address these demographic pressures, China has already begun raising retirement ages. This year, the retirement age for men increased from 60 to 63. For women, it rose to 58 from 55 in white-collar jobs and 55 from 50 in blue-collar roles.