As Shanghai’s aging population grows, new regulations require employers to provide paid elder care leave
China has become an aging society with a declining population, making elderly care an increasingly critical issue in major cities such as Shanghai and Beijing. In these cities, many families have only one child who alone must support their parents while managing work and often their own family responsibilities. This demographic shift has created significant challenges for working professionals who must balance career demands with filial obligations.
To address this challenge, the Chinese government has introduced elder care leave across China as part of its broader strategy to support families caring for the elderly. Most recently, Shanghai, China’s leading economic hub, implemented its own elder care leave policy through an amendment to the Shanghai Municipal Regulations on the Protection of the Rights and Interests of the Elderly (Regulations).
The amendment, which took effect on Nov. 1, 2025, addresses two scenarios: (1) when an elderly person falls ill and requires care (non-hospitalization) and (2) when an elderly person is hospitalized for medical treatment. For the former, Article 24 of the Regulations provides that “[e]mployers shall protect caregivers’ rights to family care leave in accordance with relevant laws and regulations. When elderly persons fall ill and require care from their...
An online controversy erupted after Facebook user Chiratchai Pawiwaranon posted images appearing to show students leaving cash, watches, jewellery, stationery and cosmetics on the ground because s...