Shanghai's Minhang district has refreshed its flagship talent policy with the launch of the "Chunshen" Talent Plan 5.0, introducing a brand-new "Top Talent (A)" category and expanding its classification system to five levels and three types. This update aims to make for more scientific, flexible talent evaluation with a focus on youth empowerment and affordable housing.

The plan's name honors Lord Chunshen, a historical figure from the Warring States Period (475-221 BC) and the namesake of Minhang, symbolizing the district's ambition to attract high-end professionals.

Under the updated framework, talent is now divided into five levels:

• Top Talent (A)
• Excellent Talent (B1, B2)
• Outstanding Talent (C1, C2)
• Elite Talent (D)
• Young Innovative Talent (E)

These levels cover three categories — academic, technical, and managerial.

To move beyond a one-size-fits-all approach, the plan introduces four flexible evaluation paths:

• Directory-based recognition, which allows direct matching against a newly released 2025 catalog.
• Condition-based recognition, evaluating applicants based on their contributions to local employers.
• Authorized recognition, granting top employers and professional associations the power to certify talent independently, with additional support for those who bring in high-level professionals.
• Special recognition, designed to address urgent, hard-to-find roles through expert panel reviews and coordination with relevant departments.

Minhang is introducing "no-application-needed" support for eligible talent already included in national or city-level programs. An automated system will match and grant benefits throughout the recognition period.

Housing support has been significantly enhanced. Top Talent (A) can now receive up to 5 million yuan ($688,000) in home purchase subsidies or up to 20,000 yuan per month in rent support.

The district also offers a variety of housing options to support young professionals, including:

• 50,000 fully-furnished, ready-to-move-in talent apartments
• 10,000 beds in dedicated residences for graduates who completed their studies within the past two years
• 5,000 low-rent youth apartments, with monthly rent capped at 2,000 yuan

The affordable youth apartments follow a shared-cost model, with the government, landlords, and employers each covering part of the rent.

In addition, job-seeking graduates can stay free of charge for up to 15 days in designated housing. PhD holders from China or abroad can receive 50,000 yuan in living support to ease their transition.

Eligible young professionals may receive a monthly rental subsidy of at least 1,000 yuan. Across the district, 100 youth talent hubs provide more than just housing; they combine living space with training, entrepreneurship support, and networking opportunities. These hubs regularly host night classes, career workshops, startup mentoring sessions, and social events such as meetups and industry talks.

For young entrepreneurs, Minhang is rolling out "zero-cost" startup zones, which offer up to three years of free office space and shared equipment, tackling early-stage startup challenges head-on. Selected youth entrepreneurs in key industries can also benefit from a one-month free stay in designated housing.

Every year, 20 startup talent will receive up to 50,000 yuan each. Eligible student founders may apply for interest-free, unsecured loans of up to 500,000 yuan.

A youth talent startup fund will offer up to 10 million yuan in direct investment for top-tier youth-led projects. Companies hosting postdoctoral researchers can receive up to 100,000 yuan per person in research funding, while newly established postdoctoral research stations will be granted 500,000 yuan to develop their platforms.

Minhang is also encouraging tech parks, incubators, companies, and organizations to recruit overseas high-level talent. Institutions that successfully attract such talent can receive up to 200,000 yuan per recruit as part of a talent scout reward.

Since its debut in 2010, the "Chunshen" Talent Plan has undergone several major upgrades. Each iteration has refined its classification standards and fostered a stronger innovation ecosystem. To date, 8,864 individuals have been officially recognized under the program.

Source: Official WeChat account of the organization department of the CPC Minhang district committee at "mhqzzb"