Strong outcomes
Last summer, 67 students graduated from the inaugural program. The results were impressive: 85 percent received client commendations and salary increases, 56 percent achieved significant career advancement, and several won municipal vocational awards, according to the university.
Behind these outcomes lies a profound transformation in Shanghai's domestic service sector.
In October 2025, six municipal departments led by the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce issued a three-year action plan to develop employee-based domestic service enterprises. Official data show that the first 16 pilot firms have helped 2,741 people find domestic service jobs, with 97.8 percent holding vocational certificates. Their revenue grew 32 percent year-on-year in the first half of 2026.
Policy support has expanded across multiple dimensions.
Domestic service workers and infant development guides have been added to the city's urgently needed skilled talent list, with skill-upgrading subsidies raised by 30 percent. By this April, 11,774 people obtained domestic service vocational certificates. The government has also built dedicated housing for workers and provides free commercial insurance.
"Domestic work is no longer low-end labor many assume it to be," says Yu Haiqun, president of the Shanghai Home Service Industry Association. Since entering the industry in 2019, he has witnessed three major shifts: increased industry recognition, clearer regulatory responsibilities, and a younger workforce.
"In the future, home care for the elderly and children will implement an occupational access licensing system. Domestic service is a high-end livelihood sector," he says, revealing that Shanghai plans to lead the formulation of unified national standards for the industry.
