LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional social media platform, is eliminating 716 positions and discontinuing its jobs app, InCareer, in mainland China. The move comes in response to changing customer behavior, challenging macroeconomic climate, and decelerating revenue growth, according to CEO Ryan Roslansky.
These actions reflect broader trends among US tech companies, with Meta and Amazon announcing significant layoffs earlier this year. Despite these cutbacks, LinkedIn, a Microsoft subsidiary, will retain some presence in China, particularly to help companies hire and train employees outside the country.
LinkedIn entered the Chinese market in 2014 with a localized app version, but faced strong competition from local platforms like Maimai and increasing regulatory challenges. By 2021, LinkedIn had over 50 million members in China, making it the company’s third-largest market after the US and India.
In March 2021, LinkedIn had to suspend signups in China to ensure it was “in compliance with local law.” A few months later, it replaced that app with InCareer, which was focused solely on job postings, with no social networking features such as sharing or commenting.
How to use LinkedIn in China nowadays?
Access to LinkedIn can be restricted in China due to a variety of reasons. However, you can use a VPN to bypass the restriction in China and access LinkedIn. VPN is a tool for protecting people’s internet traffic and keeping their identities private online. Your internet traffic will go through an encrypted tunnel that nobody can see when you connect to a secure VPN server.
This is my way to access LinkedIn and I guess it’s probably the easiest way. Here are 3 steps.
Step 1: Choose the right VPN
The very first step for you is to find a VPN that can work in China. For this first step, a few things you need to be careful of.
- If you’re planning a trip to China and want to use a VPN to bypass the Great Firewall, not all VPNs are created equal. The Chinese government has gotten pretty good at blocking VPNs, so it’s important to do your research and find one that will actually work.
- Make sure to download and set up your VPN app and account before you go to China, because you won’t be able to download it once you’re there. And forget about downloading it directly from the provider’s website, because that’s blocked too.
- Before you head off on your trip, take some time to figure out what kind of VPN plan you need. I suggest going for a yearly or multi-year plan so you don’t get caught without access due to a forgotten renewal. But of course, it all depends on how long you’ll be staying in China.
Step 2: Turn on your VPN
After you’ve signed up for a VPN account and purchased a plan, you’re free to use your VPN! There are 2 crucial settings you need to know.
- Choose the right server: Normally, a VPN will provide users with 100+ servers from different countries. Because the network speed could be different by region, you need to test a bit to see which countries’ servers could give you the best network speed.
- Choose the right protocol: VPN protocols are sets of programs and processes that determine how that tunnel is actually formed. There will be a few protocol options for you to choose from in a VPN app.
Step 3: Enjoy LinkedIn
Once you have access to the internet on your phone or PC, you’re connected to a VPN, which should enable you to access the website linkedin.com, or download the LinkedIn apps without any problems. Well, It’s surely common to experience some interruptions with your connection, so I suggest you test out the best VPN servers for yourself.
If you’re still having trouble accessing LinkedIn or other blocked websites, you should contact your VPN’s customer support team for further assistance.
What is the best VPN for LinkedIn?
I’m recommending NordVPN for anyone in China looking for a fast, secure, and reliable VPN. With a solid overall score of 8.8/10, NordVPN makes sure your internet experience is smooth even with online restrictions.
NordVPN’s performance is impressive, you can stream, work, and browse with little to no slowdowns. Using advanced protocols like NordLynx (based on WireGuard), NordVPN keeps your connection fast and secure.
What sets NordVPN apart is its huge network of over 7,200 servers in 118 countries. This makes it easy to unblock websites and streaming services, which is especially important for users in China who need to bypass restrictions.
The best part? NordVPN offers affordable pricing, starting at just $4 per month (or $60 for the first year). Plus, with a 30-day money-back guarantee, you can try it risk-free.
(NordVPN 1 year deal with 58% off for $5.00/mo
Here’s a quick look at why NordVPN is a great choice:
| Key Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 8.8/10 |
| Introductory Pricing | $4 per month / $60 for the first year |
| Average Speed Loss | Only 3% drop in download speeds (2025 tests) |
| Global Servers | 7,200+ servers |
| Countries Covered | 118 countries |
| Jurisdiction | Panama |
| Advanced Protocols | NordLynx (WireGuard), OpenVPN, NordWhisper |
| Money-Back Guarantee | 30 days |
If you want a fast and private VPN with easy access to global content, NordVPN is a great choice. Start using it today for a better, safer online experience and don’t miss NordVPN 1 year deal with 58% off for $5.00/mo
How is LinkedIn China nowadays?
LinkedIn, a social media platform owned by Microsoft, is discontinuing its InCareer job application service in China starting August 9th, citing fierce competition and a challenging macroeconomic climate. This announcement came alongside news of the company laying off 716 employees, affecting LinkedIn’s China operations and other global departments.
LinkedIn’s remaining business in China will concentrate on assisting local companies to access its talent and learning programs. This decision is made amidst a slowdown in hiring, particularly in the tech sector, due to China’s economic recovery from COVID-19 pandemic controls and regulatory crackdown on the sector.
In 2014, LinkedIn introduced a localized version of its platform in China, complying with Chinese content regulations. It was among the few foreign social media platforms permitted to operate in the country. However, by October 2021, LinkedIn discontinued its content publishing and social networking functions, favoring a stripped-down application focusing solely on job applications due to increasingly challenging operating conditions and stricter compliance requirements.
This move reflects a broader retreat by Western tech companies from China, as companies like Yahoo, Amazon’s Kindle, and Airbnb have also announced their withdrawal from Chinese markets. Despite its focus on job applications, LinkedIn faced intense competition from local Chinese counterparts.
