Want a ‘fake job’? Chinese firm offers shared office space for $4 a day so you can 'pretend' work
At the pretend work firm, he sends photos of himself 'working' to his parents, which has given him a sense of 'security.'
Faking a job can be really easy now in China, with companies that provide "pretend" work set-ups and shared office spaces for $4 a day. As bizarre as it sounds, the concept has been seeing a whopping demand in the country, with many "fake job" firms blooming. From "fake interviews" to codes of conduct such as "working from 9 am to 6 pm," the concept has been seen as a haven for people who face pressure while seeking jobs. Reported by the South China Morning Post, a pretend job company owner, Youth in China, explained the reason for the unusual boom in the market.
Chen Yingjian owns one of the many pretend work companies in China. Chen's company, which is based in Hangzhou in eastern China's Zhejiang province, conducts "pretend interviews" and sets up usual codes of conduct such as "working from 9 am to 6 pm," "no smoking in the office," and "no office romances." But why is there a big boom for such firms? Well, according to Ryan, a 25-year-old who has been working at a pretend work firm in Jiangsu province, north of Shanghai, for six months, he believes that the popularity behind this concept emerges from society's intolerance for resting. Ryan chose this path after he failed to secure a job 18 months following his graduation. At the pretend work firm, he sends photos of himself "working" to his parents, which has given him a sense of "security."
According to the BBC, thirty-year-old former food business owner Shui Zhou chose "pretend work" after his business venture collapsed in 2024. He began paying 30 yuan (about $4.20 or £3.10) a day to spend time in a 'pretend' office operated by a company called Pretend To Work Company, located in Dongguan. Many youth use such companies as a "working space rental service," while some use them for content creation. Take this woman, for instance, who only "worked" at the company for a day to make content for her social media page. Reportedly, she took a selfie at the office to send it to her mother to show her that she had a legitimate job. While the concept has been witnessing a massive boom among youth, many have quipped at the idea of paying to work. However, some of these firms also provide free lunches and coffee, while other firms see it as a way to help people socialize.
According to Trading Economics, China's youth have been facing acute unemployment issues, with the unemployment rate of those aged 16 to 24 living in urban areas, excluding students, at 15.8 per cent during the first half of 2025, while China's surveyed urban unemployment rate fell to 5.1 per cent in October 2025. As per The Dial, China's attitude toward work has changed drastically. Banks have been tightening lending, slowing startups and business growth, while major tech firms like Alibaba and Baidu have downsized for three consecutive years. On the other hand, state-owned enterprises, which were once considered uninteresting, have become attractive for the job security they offer. While many struggle to land a job, Chen Yingjian, who also handles other business ventures, may also help people find actual job opportunities if they hit it off with him. A pretend work-goer said, "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."
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