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Fran Lu

Pretend work companies that help unemployed people fake having a job for a small price are springing up across China.
The trend is particularly prevalent in first and second-tier cities where people rent office space and transform it into “pretend work companies”.
They usually charge people between 30 and 50 yuan (US$4 and US$7) a day. The rate drops if they buy a monthly package for a working spot.
Chen Yingjian owns one such company in Hangzhou, in eastern China’s Zhejiang province.

Chen conducts “pretend interviews” and sets up codes of conduct such as “working from 9am to 6pm”, “no smoking in the office” and “no office romances”.
Many pretend work companies are also fake and are not officially registered.
Some used such companies as a working space rental service, while others viewed it as a safe haven from the pressure of seeking jobs amid the economic downturn.
One young woman only ‘worked’ at the company for a day to make footage for her social media account. She took a selfie of herself in the office and sent it to her mother to show that she “had found a proper job”.

Ryan, 25, who had been working at a pretend work firm in Jiangsu province north of Shanghai for six months, said he could not find a job after graduating 18 months ago.
He constantly sent “working photos” he took in the office to his parents and said pretending to work every day for eight hours gave him a routine and a sense of security.
Some joked that it seems stupid to pay to work. But some companies offer free lunchboxes and coffee. Some people also see it as a way to make new friends who understand their predicament.
Ryan believes that behind the popularity of such companies was society’s intolerance of resting.

Before the companies went viral, some people already pretended to work by spending the whole day at cafes and in libraries.
China’s youth unemployment rate, which covers those aged 16 to 24 living in urban areas and excludes students, was 15.8 per cent during the first half of 2025.
The government-published urban unemployment rate was 5.2 per cent during the first half of 2025.
However, according to the National Bureau of Statistics, only those who attempted to search for a job within three months of the survey can be considered unemployed.

Many people said on social media that they struggled to find a decently paid job, or even one that allows two days off a week.
Chen Yingjian’s pretend work company may also provide an actual job opportunity for people who hit it off with Chen, who runs several other businesses.
“I think it is worth the deal even if just for free internet and air conditioning during summer. It is an even better deal if we meet like-minded people there,” one person said.
“I found myself better at focusing in the fake office, but I hope one day I can stop pretending and find a real job,” said another.


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So-called pretend work companies which allow people to fake having a job, for a small price, are springing up across China amid the country’s economic downturn. Photo: SCMP composite/chengdu.cn

The companies also offer “pretend job interviews” to help make the whole experience seem even more authentic. Photo: 163.com

The entrance to one of the “pretend work” companies. Such firms are particularly prevalent in tier-two cities in China. Photo: 163.com

Some people decorate their work spaces and take selfies to send to their parents as “proof” they have a job. Photo: 163.com

Staff cards complete with matching lanyards help make the fake job seem even more real. Photo: 163.com

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Companies drive fake job boom with make-believe interviews, charge clients up to US$7-a-day for a ‘working’ spot


Companies drive fake job boom with make-believe interviews, charge clients up to US$7-a-day for a ‘working’ spot.


China jobs

China ‘pretend work’ firm offers shared office space for US$4 a day, promotes personal growth

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Companies drive fake job boom with make-believe interviews, charge clients up to US$7-a-day for a ‘working’ spot

Companies drive fake job boom with make-believe interviews, charge clients up to US$7-a-day for a ‘working’ spot