Skills system set for elderly care workers

China has launched its first national qualification system for elderly care professionals to standardize and expand the workforce managing its rapidly aging population. The framework introduces a three-tier certification structure—junior, intermediate, and senior—aimed at regulating care across home, community, and institutional settings. This initiative is critical as the country anticipates its senior population will exceed 400 million by 2035, necessitating a more professionalized and stable caregiving sector.

The new framework, detailed in interim regulations from the Ministry of Civil Affairs and the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, establishes a vocational hierarchy for elderly care workers. While senior-level protocols are still under development, junior and intermediate candidates must now pass nationally unified examinations to receive certification. To qualify for the baseline junior level, applicants must be actively employed in the sector and hold at least a secondary vocational or senior high school diploma. This move follows the official recognition of "elderly care service professional" as a distinct occupational classification by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security in July 2025.

Advancement within the system requires significant field experience or specific academic credentials. For instance, a certified junior professional must complete eight years of active service to apply for the intermediate exam, though university graduates with a bachelor’s degree in related fields can apply after only three years of experience. The scope of work is also tiered: junior professionals are expected to handle long-term care, rehabilitation therapy, dementia prevention, and hospice services. Intermediate-level staff take on additional responsibilities, including conducting comprehensive physical assessments, developing care plans, mitigating risks, and providing training and guidance to junior caregivers.

The initiative arrives as China faces a massive demographic shift, with 323.4 million people aged 60 and above as of late last year, representing 23 percent of the population. This figure is projected to grow significantly, with seniors living with disabilities expected to rise from 35 million to 46 million by 2035. Industry experts, such as Xie Lili from Renmin University of China, suggest the system will help stabilize the workforce and curb talent attrition. Caregivers like Dong Xizhen, who works at a nursing home in Tianjin, noted that the certification provides a clear roadmap for career development, emphasizing that modern elderly care requires specialized knowledge in psychological counseling and rehabilitation technology beyond basic physical assistance.