TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Beijing officials cited “slow employment” as the reason for China’s youth unemployment rate reaching an all-time high, according to survey results released by Chinese media outlet The Paper on Thursday (Sept. 14), reported CNA.
Research conducted in China suggested that the “slow employment” trend, driven by improved financial conditions among families, parental support, and higher career expectations among graduates, is becoming increasingly common. Graduates on the “slow employment” track typically have higher expectations regarding career planning, improved family financial conditions, and strong parental support, which provide them with both material and emotional security.
According to The Paper, in mid-April 2023, the Shanghai Survey Corps of the National Bureau of Statistics conducted a survey on the employment situation of over 4,000 recent college graduates. The results showed that 38% of respondents chose “slow employment,” with 32% planning to continue their studies, and 6% opting to delay their entry into the job market, per CNA.
A 2017 China Daily article described slow employment as a “sort of trendy lifestyle that advocates a not-so-fast attitude in finding a job after graduation.” The article said, “Eight million fresh college graduates are looking for jobs in China this year, a new high in recent years. But many do not seem to care much whether they find one or not.”
China has seen a historic high in the number of college graduates this year, with 11.58 million graduates across the country and 236,000 in Shanghai alone, an increase of 9,000 compared to the previous year. Consequently, the phenomenon of “slow employment” has become particularly pronounced.
Over the past few years, the percentage of graduates choosing “slow employment” has increased from 15.9% in 2015 to 38% in 2023, marking a 22.1% increase over eight years. The percentage of those choosing to continue their studies has increased by 17.3% over the same period.
The proportion of graduates choosing to delay employment has also risen in the past two years, from 2.8% in 2021 to 6.0% this year, an increase of 3.2% and nearly four times the rate in 2015.
While graduates choosing “slow employment” are not in a rush to enter the job market, the survey indicated that their job-seeking priorities are primarily salary, benefits, and career prospects. On average, fresh graduates expect a monthly salary of 11,141 yuan (NT$48,800), which is higher than the 887 yuan expected by graduates entering the workforce directly.
Furthermore, young people engaging in “slow employment” emphasized a favorable working environment and the potential for achieving their self-fulfillment goals. Currently, a significant proportion of Chinese graduates choosing “slow employment” opt for careers in education, accounting for 29.1%, followed by the arts and entertainment industry, public relations management, and finance.
China’s National Bureau of Statistics announced on August 15 that it would suspend the publication of unemployment rates for young people and other age groups.
Hong Kong media outlet HK01 published a commentary suggesting that this official decision likely hides some underlying issues, but the problem will remain. The article quoted the late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping (鄧小平) who said, “People are acutely aware of their living standards. We, at the top, cannot fudge the numbers. Their numbers are the most accurate,” emphasizing the importance of “seeking truth from facts” as the key to overcoming difficulties.
