The share of Chinese students who return home after studying abroad has spiked in the last decade, Quartz reports, citing Chinese government data.
By the numbers: In the early 2000s, only one or two of every 10 Chinese students studying abroad returned to China after graduation. In 2017, around eight in 10 students chose to go back home.
- Worth noting: The trend of Chinese students going abroad for degrees isn't slowing down.
What's happening:
- China's job market is strong, and there are plenty of opportunities for recent graduates — especially if they are willing to work in some of China's smaller cities, per Quartz. However, the job search can still be difficult in some high-tech sectors, Axios' Steve LeVine reports.
- The Chinese government is offering incentives, like allowances, housing and health care benefits, to lure graduates back home, reports the Economist.
- At the same time, Western countries are cracking down on immigration. And the United States — a top destination for Chinese students — is making it harder for students to stay in the country after graduation.
Go deeper: Foreign students have begun to shun the United States.