China Unveils National Qualification System for Elderly Care Professionals

China has introduced a national qualification system for elderly care service professionals to address the needs of its rapidly aging population. Jointly issued by the Ministry of Civil Affairs and the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, the interim regulation establishes standardized skill levels for caregivers across home, community, and institutional settings. This move aims to professionalize the workforce and improve the quality of care as the country’s senior population continues to grow significantly.

The new regulatory framework, jointly issued by the Ministry of Civil Affairs and the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, classifies elderly care professionals into three vocational skill levels: junior, intermediate, and senior. This system applies to workers across the full spectrum of care environments, including home-based, community-based, and institutional settings. To ensure standardized quality, the junior and intermediate levels will be subject to nationally unified examinations, while specific certification criteria for the senior level are currently being formulated.

Under the new guidelines, junior-level professionals are tasked with a broad range of responsibilities including long-term care for disabled seniors, rehabilitation therapy, health management, and dementia prevention. Their roles also extend to psychological support, hospice and palliative care, and the planning of age-friendly living environments. Intermediate-level professionals carry higher responsibilities, such as conducting comprehensive physical and environmental assessments, developing care plans, mitigating risks, and providing training and guidance to their junior counterparts.

Eligibility for these certifications is based on a combination of education and experience. Junior-level applicants must hold at least a senior high school or secondary vocational school diploma, while intermediate-level candidates require several years of relevant work experience or higher academic qualifications. The implementation of this system comes as China faces a demographic shift, with official data showing the population aged 60 and above reached approximately 323.4 million by the end of 2025, an increase of 13.07 million over the previous year.