File photo.

China has recently been considering the possibility of identifying some HIV carriers as non-laborers - that is, removing them from the work force - in order to help them relieve employment pressure.

According to the latest amendment of the guidelines on labor capability evaluation, HIV carriers can be identified as non-laborers if their number of CD4 immune cells is 200 or below after systematic treatment. Patients with CD4 immune cell counts of 400 or below can be identified as partial laborers.

The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MOHRSS) explained that the new amendment, which is the first since 2002, takes into consideration international attitudes toward HIV carriers when it comes to employment and societal participation, but also acknowledges population pressure in the Chinese job market and society as a whole.

Experts from Shanghai said they have noted a rising number of applications from HIV carriers for non-laborers or partial labor status in recent years. In 2015, the number was 50 in Shanghai alone.

The new amendment also classifies patients suffering from malicious tumors and second-stage or more advanced cancers as non-laborers. Such a classification generally entitles people to extra subsidies and more social welfare.

The amended guideline was compiled by the Labor Capability Evaluation Center in Shanghai under the authority of MOHRSS. MOHRSS previously stated that the original guidelines had become out of date after 14 years, and needed to be altered in accordance with the current social situation.