As China Resumes Business, LinkedIn China Seems to Have New Job Postings

Chinese firms have stepped up recruitment on social networking platform LinkedIn as businesses gradually return to normal amid the gradual containment of the novel coronavirus disease in the country.

From March 23 to 26, new job postings on LinkedIn China jumped by 21 per cent year on year, compared with a 35-per cent drop during February 3-7 period, the first week after the Spring Festival break, when the confirmed cases in the country were fast increasing, said LinkedIn China president Lu Jian during an online conference.

COVID-19 has brought significant challenges to the job market, Lu noted, with job postings published by companies with fewer than 200 employees slumping by 83 per cent year on year from February 3-7, reports Xinhua news agency.

Postings by these firms have recovered swiftly recently, with demand for workers in industries including fitness, transport, logistics, education and finance rebounding, Lu said.

Job applications also jumped 39 per cent year on year from March 23 to 26, when the coronavirus spread was basically curbed, showing resilience in the country's job market, Lu said.

China has been intensifying efforts to help keep employment stable amid the control of COVID-19.

Measures including waiving companies' social insurance payments and deferring the collection of housing provident funds were introduced, slashing firms' operating costs.

Since the pandemic originated in the Asian giant last December, China has reported a total of 83,003 coronavirus cases, with 3,343 deaths.