In recent years, China's public policy has undergone significant changes, especially in terms of age restrictions. According to reports from The Paper and Tencent News, nearly 30 provinces across the country have launched the recruitment of the 2023 provincial civil service examination, of which 27 provinces will kick off the exam this weekend. Compared with 2022, many provinces have expanded their civil service recruitment by more than 50% this year. It is particularly noteworthy that in recent years, about 10 provinces have adjusted the requirement of restricting the age of 35 and below for civil service applicants to under the age of 40. For example, the provincial examination announcements in Henan, Jiangxi and other places clearly pointed out that for 2023 fresh master's and doctoral students (non-in-service personnel), the age limit will be relaxed to under 40 years old. These changes reflect the gradual relaxation of the age limit in the recruitment of civil servants and are also a positive response to the employment discrimination of people over 35 years old in the workplace.
The adjustments in these provinces reflect a broader societal trend of removing the 35-year-old age limit for the public sector, aiming to eliminate ageism in the workplace, encourage more experienced people over the age of 35 to participate in the public service, and inject more vitality into the labour market in an aging society. This initiative is also seen as a positive response to the phenomenon of the "35-year-old crisis" in the workplace, which can help alleviate workplace stress and anxiety caused by age restrictions.
However, there is also a view that the removal of the age limit may have a certain impact on corporate recruitment, such as leading to brain drain and difficulty in recruitment. Therefore, the implementation of this policy needs to take into account a number of factors, including the widespread impact of age discrimination in the workplace and the impact on employment opportunities for specific groups.
In general, the removal of the 35-year-old age limit is a positive response to the problem of age discrimination in the workplace, aiming to encourage more experienced personnel to participate in the public service, and at the same time, it is necessary to consider the possible impact on corporate recruitment, and to achieve a comprehensive balance in the implementation process.