He was 36, experienced and steady, and still he found himself scrolling through job listings that read like a youth club: “Applicants under 35 preferred.” It’s a familiar, bitter line for many in China — the so-called “curse of 35” that has haunted tech workers and mid-career professionals for years.
Now Beijing has moved to loosen one visible barrier: for the first time in about 30 years, the central government has raised the upper age limit for many civil service applicants — from 35 to 38 for most candidates, and to 43 for those with a master’s or doctoral degree.
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It’s a small change on paper, but for many, it’s a sign that the authorities are finally admitting a problem exists.
WHY CHINA IS CHANGING THE RULES NOW
There’s context behind the tweak. China’s population is ageing fast, and the state has already started nudging the retirement age upward — from January 2025, men will retire at 63 instead of 60, while women in white-collar jobs move f
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