Job opportunities up for grabs in new year

Foreign job seekers fill out applications at a job fair in Haikou, Hainan province, on Saturday. (ZHANG MAO/FOR CHINA DAILY)

China is experiencing a surge in job fairs following the Spring Festival holiday, aimed at helping urban and rural workers and college graduates secure employment.

On Wednesday, a large-scale recruitment event was held in the Zhengzhou Airport Economy Zone in Henan province. BYD, a leading Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer, announced plans to hire 20,000 workers in a single recruitment drive, drawing a massive crowd of applicants. BYD's Zhengzhou base is offering various positions with salaries ranging from 5,000 to 9,000 yuan ($686 to $1,234) per month.

"Our company is part of the manufacturing sector, and those who join us will gain exposure to automotive manufacturing equipment, processes and skill standards. We also hope to contribute to Henan's development," said a manager at Zhengzhou BYD Auto Co who requested anonymity.

Wei Wei, head of the talent service center at the personnel department of the Party working committee in the Zhengzhou Airport Economy Zone, said: "This job fair not only ensures the resumption of work and production for enterprises, but also provides more opportunities for job seekers. It plays a role in boosting the local economy."

On Thursday, in Jingzhou, Hubei province, 150 companies offered nearly 5,000 positions at the first job fair after Spring Festival. The available jobs spanned various fields, including services and commerce.

"I'm not planning to look for work elsewhere this year; I want to see if there are suitable jobs available locally," said Yao, a job seeker who gave only his surname.

After reviewing the job requirements and benefits from a local biotechnology company, he learned that the salary could exceed 5,000 yuan per month, which he said was "very attractive".

Jingzhou has organized over 200 job fairs, with an estimated 400 expected by March.

Many migrant workers are considering returning to their hometowns for employment this year.

On Wednesday, at a job fair in Hanchuan, Hubei, job seeker Li Xiaolin said: "I had moved to Guangdong province and was looking for a job as an electrician. However, I visited several companies at the fair and found promising opportunities here. If I find a suitable position, I might stay and work in Hanchuan."

On the first day of job fair activities in Hanchuan, approximately 8,600 people attended, with livestream viewers reaching 55,000.

During Spring Festival, Jiangxi province also hosted numerous large-scale job fairs, both online and in person. One of them, held in Gao'an city, was a three-day fair aimed at assisting key groups such as college graduates and retired military personnel in finding employment or starting businesses.

At the Gao'an fair, more than 100 companies offered over 6,000 job positions, and more than 1,200 people expressed interest in employment on-site. The Gao'an city employment and entrepreneurship service center said it will continue post-holiday employment support efforts, matching job seekers with companies and providing online and offline job services to guide local workers to opportunities and attract migrant workers to return to the city.