KOS 2026 Mainland China Salary Guide Is Now Released

If the defining word for the talent market over the past few years was “adjustment,” the central theme of 2026 is “reinvention.”

AI is no longer merely a supporting tool — it has embedded itself into the core of every industry, from embodied intelligence on the factory floor to large language model-driven investment research and AI-enabled teaching, redrawing the boundaries of what each role requires.

At the same time, overseas expansion has become standard corporate strategy, making cross-border compliance, global delivery, and localized management essential capabilities. Driven by both cost efficiency and investment in core technology, talent budgets are no longer spread evenly but directed precisely toward high-value, strategic, and hybrid roles.

Compensation is now determined by the value of the role, specialized skills, and sector rather than job level or tenure — and pay divergence across industries, functions, and skill sets has reached an unprecedented level.