Expats face shrinking job market

When expectations are high, disappointment can be deep. This is true for both employers and job seekers in China's expatriate employment market.

A recent job fair for expatriates held by the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs (SAFEA) revealed a growing discrepancy between the two parties, as China becomes a sought after market for international talents.

The job fair, an annual event organized by SAFEA every April in Beijing since 2005, attracted about the same size crowd as it did last year - about 70 employers and 1,200 expatriate job seekers, said Li Hai, project manager of the Information Research Center of International Talent at SAFEA.