Check first whether a skill has an official grading system and if those grades can translate into pay raises

The government is promoting a “New Eight-Level Worker” system that requires companies to link job pay to employees’ skill levels. Outstanding workers can even have their skill grades recognized regardless of seniority or years of experience. This is the policy direction, though implementation varies widely across regions and companies. Only skills with established national occupational standards and grading pathways can eventually lead to pay increases based on those grades — so it’s worth checking first before you invest time in learning them.

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The government is actively rolling out this New Eight-Level Worker skill grading system. Official documents explicitly require linking skill grades to employee compensation, stating that “a skill-oriented pay distribution system must be strengthened... companies should adopt a compensation model that ties both job value and skill levels to pay.” Regions are also being urged to “expand the evaluation and hiring of senior-level workers and increase the frequency of such evaluations.” Eligible companies can conduct their own skill assessments for employees, and top performers can have their skill grades recognized without needing to meet any requirements related to years of service, prior grades, or seniority.

This is the intended policy direction, not a guarantee of actual pay increases — implementation varies greatly by region and company. The key takeaway for anyone considering learning a new skill is to first verify whether it has corresponding national occupational standards and a formal grading pathway; only then can it potentially lead to pay raises based on skill level. For skills lacking any official grading system or industry entry requirements, learning them won’t guarantee any career or financial benefits — you’ll still need to find work on your own.

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；人力资源社会保障部 (2021). 「技能中国行动」实施方案. https://www.gov.cn/zhengce/zhengceku/2021-07/06/content_5622619.htm