A bird's-eye view of Hangzhou's CBD. [Photo/IC]

The 2025 China City Talent Attraction Ranking, jointly released by China's largest recruitment portal Zhaopin and Zeping Macro, places Hangzhou fifth nationwide, following Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Guangzhou.

The report highlights continued talent concentration in eastern China, especially in the Yangtze River Delta and Pearl River Delta regions. While the East sees steady talent inflow thanks to its strong economic base, central, western, and northeastern regions face net outflows.

First- and second-tier cities remain the top destinations for new graduates and talent with master's degrees or higher. In 2024, 17.4 percent of new graduates and 23.2 percent of high-level talent submitted resumes to first-tier cities.

Hangzhou has maintained a positive net talent inflow for five consecutive years, averaging over 1.2 percent. In 2024 alone, its permanent population increased by 102,000, with talent inflow stable around 3 percent and outflow dropping to 1.6 percent.

Key drivers include the city's rapid growth in sectors like intelligent internet of things, biomedicine, high-end equipment, new materials, and green energy, coupled with a livable environment and supportive talent policies. According to the Hangzhou statistics bureau, the city's core digital economy industries grew 7.1 percent year-on-year in 2024, accounting for a record 28.8 percent of total GDP.

A job fair for college graduates held in Hangzhou. [Photo/tidenews.com.cn]