Shanxi province has introduced the "Market-Oriented Talent Recruitment Incentive Plan", a strategic initiative to attract high-level, urgently needed talent and drive the province's high-quality development.

This policy, which offers substantial financial incentives, targets headhunting agencies and employers to support the precise recruitment and retention of top-tier professionals. The plan will be officially implemented on Jan 31, and will remain in effect for three years.

The plan defines market-oriented talent recruitment as a process by which headhunting agencies, commissioned by various Shanxi employers, recruit high-level talent and urgently needed professionals from outside the province. These recruits must sign labor contracts of at least three years and contribute to social insurance, aligning with the core objectives of attracting, retaining, and effectively utilizing talent.

Specifically, the plan stipulates that eligible recruits must be full-time employees who commence their first employment in Shanxi after Jan 1, 2025. Their annual salary is determined by the labor contract and excludes any additional income including stock dividends.

The incentive applies to both legally compliant, well-performing headhunting agencies and all types of employers registered in Shanxi. This approach fosters a collaborative effort between headhunting agencies and employers.

Headhunting agencies that successfully recruit high-level talent will receive rewards based on the "Shanxi High-Level Talent Classification Directory", with A, B, C, and D categories receiving 200,000 yuan ($28,672), 150,000 yuan, 100,000 yuan, and 50,000 yuan, respectively. The annual reward for any single headhunting agency or employer is capped at 200,000 yuan.

The program follows an annual application cycle, with the application period for the previous year's rewards running from March 1 to May 31. The process includes application submission, material review, expert evaluation, meeting discussions, public announcements, fund allocation, and record-keeping.