A China faces a growing crisis in the labor market, especially among young people. The unemployment rate for 16- to 24-year-olds in urban areas hit a record 21.3% last month. This spurred a phenomenon called “full-time sons and daughters”.
The term describes young people who return home and are supported financially by their families, avoiding looking for jobs due to lack of opportunities and fierce competition.
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One example is Litsky Li, a 21-year-old woman who quit her job as a photographer because of the pressure to succeed. Now, she is a “full-time daughter” who takes care of her family and earns a salary of 6,000 yuan a month, which is considered good for her region.
She doesn't want to compete intensely with her colleagues and prefers to lead a simpler life, without seeking a better paid job or a better life.
Li is not alone in this situation. Many young Chinese are also returning to their parents' homes simply because they cannot find work.
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In addition, there is a significant number of young people who are not economically active, but who are looking for a job and are not accounted for in official unemployment statistics. That could push the youth unemployment rate to a staggering 46.5% in March.
This trend of “professional children” reflects not only young people's dissatisfaction with limited opportunities in the job market, but also the economic challenges facing the country, including tepid domestic consumption, a retreat in private industry and a struggling housing market.
The country's post-Covid recovery is facing obstacles, which especially affect young people looking for job opportunities.
Such a trend is also a sign that young people face diminishing opportunities in a economy that has already advanced for decades, enriching the older generations who now support their children.
The private sector, which used to be an important source of jobs, has been hit by a regulatory crackdown, and business confidence remains weak.
While some people see this option as a temporary way to find financial support, experts warn that it is not a sustainable solution to China's jobs problem.
If young people are not in the job market acquiring skills and looking for opportunities to growth, they may face prolonged unemployment and future difficulties in forcibly reintegrating of work.
For the Chinese economy to deal with these challenges, it is necessary to promote policies that encourage job creation, private sector growth, and investment in youth education and training.
Only then will young people be able to find real job opportunities and contribute to the sustainable economic development of the country.
Meanwhile, the phenomenon of “full-time children” is a clear sign that changes are necessary to prevent an entire generation from being excluded from the labor market and growth professional.
