Singapore media Lianhe Zaobao reported on the 7th that the number of people engaged in "flexible work (linghuo jiuye)" in China is expected to reach 320 million this year, and will account for over 40% of the employed population.

According to a report recently released by the "China New Employment Forms Research Center," jointly established by Capital University of Economics and Business and the China Association for Employment Promotion, after the number of flexible workers in China exceeded 200 million in 2021, it has been increasing at a rate of 40 million per year over the past two years, reaching 240 million in 2024 and 280 million in 2025. This year, it is expected to further increase to 320 million, accounting for over 40% of the employed population.

The report points out that flexible work has already transformed from a "supplementary form" to a "critical pillar" in the employment market. In terms of income, the average monthly income of blue-collar workers in China increased from 2,868 yuan (approximately 68,000 yen) in 2013 to 6,230 yuan (approximately 147,000 yen) in 2025. Meanwhile, the income gap between blue-collar and white-collar workers during the same period narrowed from a peak of 3,344 yuan (approximately 80,000 yen) in 2013 to 2,250 yuan (approximately 53,000 yen) in 2025.

Furthermore, the report points out that the current flexible employment demographic still faces a structural challenge where "they are not struggling to make ends meet, but their future development is constrained." Although the coverage rates for medical insurance and workers' compensation both exceed 80%, workers reportedly feel strong anxiety about pensions and career advancement.

Associate Professor Zhan Shaohua of Nanyang Technological University in Singapore points out that there are multiple factors contributing to the increase in flexible workers in China. First, China's economic structure is gradually shifting from manufacturing-led to service-led, and the service industry relies more on flexible employment forms. Second, the platform economy has developed rapidly, and many job seekers are flowing into these new employment forms. Furthermore, companies are increasingly favoring flexible employment forms over long-term labor contracts for cost and management reasons.

Mr. Zhan also cited the pressure on the overall labor market as a factor, stating, "The current labor market is oversupplied, and workers are forced to accept flexible employment forms to find jobs." While he expects the proportion of flexible workers in the labor market to continue to rise in the future, he also pointed out the problem that the development of relevant laws and regulations is relatively slow, and the protection of workers' rights and interests is insufficient.

Furthermore, after touching upon the possibility of the further expansion of phenomena such as unstable employment and intermittent unemployment, he stated that if flexible workers do not pay social insurance premiums, it will not only affect their medical care and pension security after retirement, but could also create significant problems for the maintenance and operation of the entire pension insurance system. (Translation/Editing by Kitada)