Mega job fair set for March in Guangzhou

As Guangdong ramps up its latest push to attract young talent, job seekers in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bay Area are preparing for what is describe as one of the province’s largest coordinated recruitment efforts in recent years.

At its annual Provincial High-quality Development Conference on Feb. 24, Guangdong Party chief Huang Kunming announced the continued implementation of the “Million Talents Gather in Guangdong” initiative. After attracting more than 1.1 million college graduates to work or start businesses in the province in 2025, Guangdong aims to bring in more than 1 million additional graduates this year.

Job seekers speak with employers at a “Million Talents Gather in Guangdong” job fair in Guangzhou in March 2025. Photo from China News Service

A major spring recruitment fair

The first large-scale recruitment event of 2026 is scheduled for March 15-16 at the Canton Fair Complex in Guangzhou. Organizers say more than 1,500 key employers will participate, offering over 50,000 positions.

The employers are expected to include leading private firms, central and State-owned enterprises, technology companies and specialized small and medium-sized enterprises.

In addition to the Guangzhou event, a separate large comprehensive job fair will be held in Shenzhen, though details have not yet been released.

Targeting strategic and emerging industries

According to the plan, this year’s recruitment campaign will include 10 sector-specific hiring programs aligned with Guangdong’s industrial priorities.

Manufacturing remains central, particularly the province’s 20 strategic industrial clusters, with emphasis on “AI + robotics.” Organizers say specialized enterprises, leading firms within industrial supply chains and single-product manufacturing champions will be among those recruiting.

Emerging and future industries will also feature prominently, including artificial intelligence and robotics, semiconductors and integrated circuits, new materials and energy, new-type energy storage, the low-altitude economy, commercial aerospace, embodied intelligence, quantum technology, bio-manufacturing, green hydrogen, advanced nuclear energy and brain-computer interfaces.

Other sector-focused recruitment drives will cover State-owned enterprises, key private enterprises, education, healthcare, cultural and internet industries, overseas returnees and high-skilled technical workers. A dedicated program will also encourage young professionals to work in county-level and grassroots development projects across eastern, western and northern Guangdong.

Employers participate in a livestreamed recruitment session during a job fair in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province in April 2025, part of the “Million Talents Gather in Guangdong” program. Photo from Xinhua

Campus outreach and multi-city recruitment

From March through May, Guangdong will also launch a multi-city spring recruitment initiative. Over the course of the year, more than 10,000 key employers are expected to visit 100 major universities nationwide during spring and autumn recruitment seasons, matching hiring needs with academic strengths.

In 2025, Guangdong organized more than 5,000 recruitment events and attracted more than 1.1 million college graduates. Officials said that out of 12.22 million college graduates nationwide last year, roughly one in 10 chose to work or start a business in Guangdong.

Expanding access to jobs

Beyond large-scale fairs, the province is promoting both online and offline recruitment channels.

Offline efforts include year-round city job fairs, campus recruitment events and headhunting activities, as well as youth talent matchmaking events across the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Online, job seekers can access openings through the provincial public employment service platform and the “粤就业” WeChat miniprogram, which aggregates recruitment information. Livestreamed job-matching sessions branded “揾工在广东” (“Find Jobs in Guangdong”) are also designed to connect applicants with employers remotely.

Officials say the province is also refining its talent support policies, including measures related to housing, innovation funding and entrepreneurship support, along with broader provincial and municipal employment assistance.

Dates: March 15-16

Add: Halls 17.1 and 17.2, Zone D, Canton Fair Complex, Guangzhou (广州市广交会展馆D区）

Metro: Line 8 to Xingang East Station (新港东站), Exit A; or Line 8/11 to Pazhou Station (琶洲站), Exit A/B