China’s job market is tough, with job opportunities scarce, which has led to a surge in enthusiasm for taking the civil service exam. According to statistics, the number of people taking the exam has increased by 2.3 times in the past 5 years. This year, the most competitive position is for a female police chief, attracting 7,591 applicants.
Reports from Chinese media on October 25th stated that the registration for the 2026 National Civil Service Examination organized by the Chinese Communist Party ended at 6 p.m. on the 24th.
According to statistics from Zhonggong Education, as of 5:30 p.m. on the 24th, the total number of applicants had reached 3,515,251, an increase of nearly 260,000 compared to the same period last year. Of these, 3,207,060 people passed the screening by recruiting units and obtained the “admission ticket” for the 2026 National Civil Service Exam, with an average competition ratio of 92:1.
The 2026 National Civil Service Exam will recruit 38,119 people, a decrease of 1,602 from the previous year. Despite the reduction in recruitment scale, the number of applicants is 2.3 times that of 2021, setting a new historical record.
It is mentioned that the position with the highest number of registrations and the most intense competition this time is for the position of “Level One Police Chief and below” in the Rui Li repatriation center of the Immigration Management Bureau. It only recruits 1 person, but already 7,591 people have applied, with 6,470 passing the screening.
This position is open only to applicants with a bachelor’s degree, no grassroots work experience or household registration restrictions, and is limited to female applicants.
Zhang Qian, an expert from Zhonggong Education, told the Beijing Daily that the age limit for applicants for this National Civil Service Exam has been extended to 38 years old, and for fresh graduates with master’s and doctoral degrees, the age limit has been extended to 43 years old, attracting more applicants.
According to reports, among the top 10 positions in terms of the number of applicants for the 2026 National Civil Service Exam, 3 are from the tax system, and 2 are from the railway public security system. The others come from the Disabled Persons’ Federation, the National Health Care Security Administration, the Ministry of Commerce, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
It is noteworthy that all of the top 10 departments in terms of the number of applicants are from the tax department, attracting over 2.36 million applicants. Guangdong Provincial Taxation Bureau is ranked first.
The competition ratio for the Statistics Bureau is 155.5:1, and for the Railway Public Security Bureau, it is 150.54:1. These two departments are considered the most difficult to apply for. In terms of provinces and cities, Beijing has the highest competition ratio of 165.53:1.
While the number of applicants for the mainland civil service exam has significantly increased, applications for frontline law enforcement system positions are cold. It is reported that as of the afternoon of the 24th, there were still 89 positions in the 2026 National Civil Service Exam that had no applicants, accounting for 0.4% of the total positions.
Positions with no applicants include the Immigration Border Inspection Headquarters, Customs, Maritime Bureau, and other administrative law enforcement departments, which are mostly frontline law enforcement positions. Due to high thresholds, strong professionalism, and restrictions on applicant qualifications, there are fewer qualified candidates.
The National Civil Service Bureau of the Chinese Communist Party issued a notice on October 14th that the registration for the 2026 National Civil Service Exam has started, and the written examination for public subjects will be held on November 30th.
The age limit for applicants is now extended to below 38 years old, and for fresh master’s and doctoral graduates, it is extended to below 43 years old. Previously, the age requirements for the civil service and civil service exam nationwide were between 18 and 35 years old.
In recent years, China’s economy has continued to deteriorate, leading to a severe job market where finding work is difficult. Being seen as a “secure job,” positions in the civil service have become the top choice for many young people seeking opportunities.
On September 15th, Heilongjiang University held a “Large-Scale Recruitment Fair for College Graduates.” Despite offering over 9,000 positions, the fair attracted over 110,000 graduates.
Henan company “Pang Donglai” offered 900 positions, attracting over 130,000 applicants; and Southwest University saw 20,000 people vying for 2,000 positions.