The number of employees in Heilongjiang province’s homecare industry will reach 50,000 by 2016, and all of them will be required to present standard certifications issued by local authorities, according to the Women's Federation of the province in Northeast China.

This year, a total of 13 cities and half of the province’s counties will establish homecare service centers, aiming to increase the number of permanent employees in the industry by at least 10 percent.

These centers provide a wide range of services, such as domestic work, looking after the elderly, and taking care of newborn babies and mothers for the first few months after childbirth.

Services such as tutoring, delivery of commodities, household management, and psychological comforts will be added to meet more varied demands.

The province will host a nursing skills contest, hoping to encourage more housekeepers to improve their abilities and services, as well as offer training programs, which will be based on the individual’s experience and explain national and provincial standards.

The attendees will receive a star-rated assessment after training.