The generation that doesn't try to stay in the big city

More and more young people in China, especially recent graduates, are choosing to find work in smaller cities instead of the financial hubs of Shanghai or the capital Beijing.

A research report on university student data from the classes of 2018 to 2022 by Chinese education consultancy My COS shows that the proportion of graduates employed in county-level localities increased from 20% in the class of 2018 to 25% in the class of 2022.

For the cohort of students graduating in 2016 and 2017, the report found that nearly 60% of students returned to small cities to work and stayed for five consecutive years. 40% returned to small cities to work after working elsewhere.

Income levels in small cities and job satisfaction are among the factors cited as reasons for the increased demand for locality, according to the Global Times.

The MyCOS report said the average monthly salary of college students working in small cities has increased from more than 4,600 yuan (more than 16 million VND) in 2018 to nearly 5,400 (more than 18 million VND) in 2022.

MyCOS data has become a hot topic in Chinese society. The keyword "average salary of fresh graduates working in small cities is nearly 5,400 yuan" is the most searched.

However, many people are skeptical about these numbers and wonder "which small city in China has such a monthly salary".

"The actual monthly salary in small cities is 2,000 yuan (7 million VND), only two days off per month and no social insurance," a comment that attracted more than 2,300 likes was shared.

Or another person expressed: "Why do I feel that the salary in the small city I live in is not that high? Maybe everyone is different, but the company my friend is working for only has an income of 3,500 yuan."

Incomes in smaller cities are controversial, but this is not the only reason why young Chinese are leaving the big cities.

MyCOS's report also suggests that this trend is related to graduates wanting to escape the pressures of living in a big city, according to Sixth Tone.

The "996" work culture (9am to 9pm, 6 days a week) of big cities is virtually non-existent in other localities. Workers also do not face pressure on wages or staff cuts.

Jobs in government agencies and special education are currently attractive, accounting for the highest proportion of university graduates recruited in small cities. The education sector accounts for more than 23%, while the recruitment rate in government agencies is nearly 15%.

New policies designed to attract graduates back to their hometowns also play a role in this trend.

Suichang County in Zhejiang Province announced that it will provide master's degree holders with a housing subsidy of 300,000 yuan and an annual living allowance of 30,000 yuan for five years, if they work for a local employer.

In 2022, the number of new Chinese college graduates entering the job market will surpass 10 million for the first time. By 2024, it is expected to reach 11.7 million. Government officials have pledged to step up policies to improve youth employment and help small businesses.

In March this year, China's human resources minister Wang Xiaoping said the agency would seize the opportunity to continue to hold more recruitment activities targeting different groups. That same month, the CEO of 58.com - China's top classifieds website - advised college students to "pay more attention" to jobs outside first-tier cities.

According to Sohu news, 58.com founder Yao Jinbo said there has been both a surplus and a shortage of talent between regions.

"Graduates should not only look at first-tier cities, small developing cities are also worth paying attention to," Yao said.