On January 31, 2026, the Shanghai municipal government held a meeting focused on human resources and social security. The meeting aimed to review the accomplishments of 2025 and outline the tasks for 2026.
The meeting revealed that in 2025, Shanghai’s average urban survey unemployment rate was 4.2%, with 641,000 new jobs created. Additionally, 506 community employment service stations were established as part of the “15-minute employment service circle” initiative. The government made steady progress in providing occupational injury protection for new employment forms and implementing a gradual increase in the statutory retirement age. Furthermore, it worked to reasonably raise pension benefits, minimum wage standards, and other aspects of public welfare.
To enhance workforce skills, the “Skills Illuminate the Future” training initiative was launched, offering subsidized vocational training to 725,900 individuals, along with the development of 71,700 skilled workers at the advanced level or higher. The government also made efforts to align its reforms with the World Bank’s business environment assessment, introducing 35 measures to optimize the business environment in the human resources sector. A pioneering social insurance-themed bank was created, expanding the “direct link” service points to over 2,300.
The meeting emphasized that in 2026, the focus will be on implementing an employment-first strategy to promote high-quality and full employment. The targets for the year include creating more than 600,000 new jobs and maintaining the urban survey unemployment rate below 5%. Special attention will be given to supporting key groups such as university graduates and long-term unemployed individuals, with a goal of helping 20,000 long-term unemployed people find new jobs.
Deputy Mayor Chen Jie, a member of the Municipal Party Committee, attended the meeting and delivered a speech.
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