China will be launching a digital database to properly match demand for foreign workers with competent overseas talent, according to an article by China Daily.
The database will include all legally employed foreign workers' nationalities, field of expertise, industry, residence, and employer information, according to Zhang Jianguo, director the State Administration of Foreign Expert Affairs.
The idea of an online platform was first proposed by Zhang during the Conference on International Exchange of Professional held in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province.
"Both the supply and demand sides are positive, but many employers can't find the right candidates," said Zhang. "They key issue here is matching employers with the right employees."
Between 2011 and 2015, overseas workers made three million visits to China and this included short trips and longer trips for employment purposes. This is a noticeable 30-percent increase in contrast to the previous years.
According to Zhang, in the past, overseas talent was managed by government policies and talent projects, but there is now a need for a more dynamic system.
"The market should lead overseas talent recruitment, and the government must work to create a conducive environment for such talent and this can come in the form of a simplified visa application process," he said.
As China develops, more emerging industries will be demanding for more skilled workers from overseas.
However, China has room for more improvement as local and foreign companies based in the country are lagging in international recruitment, according to Christine Raynaud, Greater China CEO for Morgan Philips Group.
"Chinese companies are becoming more competitive globally and it requires them to attract more capable talent overseas," said Raynaud. "However, most of them have outdated recruitment models that do not take advantage of technology and other digital tools."
For China to remain on top of the global market, it must adapt to the changing landscape of overseas recruitment and embrace more innovative methods.