Don’t take “high wages reported online” as proof of labor shortages — check local lists of in-demand occupations and subsidy programs instead.
The amount of training subsidies allocated for any given occupation depends on how urgently it is needed and the associated training costs. Thus, subsidy levels serve as a direct indicator of local labor shortages. Claims online about “monthly earnings for a certain job” are usually just posted rates or self-reported figures from job platforms. These figures represent only those who are already earning money, and they ignore factors like working hours, commuting time, occupational illnesses, and seasonal fluctuations.
Nothing to pay. You just need to look up two local documen…
Subsidy amounts essentially represent the official assessment of which occupations are in short supply. Polici…
Nothing to pay. You just need to look up two local documents.
Subsidy amounts essentially represent the official assessment of which occupations are in short supply. Policies call for “developing differentiated subsidy mechanisms based on how urgently an occupation is needed and its training costs,” which guides each region in determining which vocational training programs qualify for subsidies. Consequently, differences in subsidy levels for the same occupation across cities directly reflect local labor shortages.
国务院就业促进和劳动保护工作领导小组 (2025). 关于开展大规模职业技能提升培训行动的指导意见. https://www.gov.cn/zhengce/zhengceku/202507/content_7032222.htm；国家统计局 (2026). 2025年城镇单位就业人员年平均工资情况：「规模以上企业就业人员年平均工资为106080元，其中，中层及以上管理人员210016元，专业技术人员155491元，办事人员和有关人员94936元，社会生产服务和生活服务人员79857元，生产制造及有关人员80739元」. https://www.stats.gov.cn/sj/zxfb/202605/t20260515_1963707.html；人力资源社会保障部就业培训技术指导中心 (2023). 2022年第四季度全国招聘大于求职「最缺工」的100个职业排行（中国就业网）. https://chinajob.mohrss.gov.cn/c/2023-01-30/367442.shtml
Open source linkThe official breakdown of wages by profession only covers five major categories of positions and does not include specific occupations. According to the National Bureau of Statistics for the year 2025, the average annual wage for enterprises above a designated size is approximately 10.6 ten thousand yuan (precise value 106080 yuan). For management-level personnel and above, it is approximately 21 ten thousand yuan (precise value 210016 yuan); for professional and technical personnel, it is approximately 15.5 ten thousand yuan (precise value 155491 yuan); for clerical personnel, it is 94936 yuan; for production and manufacturing personnel, it is 80739 yuan; and for social production and service personnel, it is 79857 yuan. The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security's 'Ranking of the 100 Occupations with the Greatest Labor Shortages' can be found on the China Employment Web; the latest issue stops at the fourth quarter of 2022 year, compiled based on recruitment and job-seeking data from public employment service agencies in 102 cities nationwide. The 'monthly income for a certain occupation' circulating online almost all comes from listed prices on recruitment platforms or personal accounts. Most of what you see are likely from the group of people earning good money, and none of it accounts for working hours, commuting, occupational diseases, or seasonal fluctuations. To see real demand, check the subsidy catalog on your local Human Resources and Social Security Bureau's official website, then check the job demand rankings of public employment service agencies. Finally, go to actual construction sites, factories, or stores to ask those currently employed.