BEIJING -- Nearly 1.89 million people have signed up for this year's social worker vocational qualification exam, held on Saturday and Sunday, according to official data.

The number saw a 26 percent increase compared with 2023, hitting a new high, according to the social work department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.

The professional qualifications of social workers are divided into three levels: assistant social worker, social worker and senior social worker.

Currently, 1.16 million people in China have obtained professional qualifications in social work. They are engaged in areas such as child welfare, elderly care services and social assistance, among others, becoming an important force in grassroots governance.

Besides, more than 50 visually impaired candidates across the country signed up for the exam this year.