Qingdao 12333 Hotline Launches Bilingual Services, Offering Customer Support in English, Korean, and Other Foreign Languages

Qingdao Daily/Guanhai News, July 21, 2025 — To further meet the growing human resources and social security service needs of expatriates in Qingdao, the Qingdao 12333 Hotline has recently launched bilingual service desks, offering customer support in English, Korean, and other foreign languages. This enables expatriates to enjoy a "barrier-free communication experience" whether they are inquiring about social insurance enrollment, employment permit applications, or talent subsidy policies.

It is reported that, to better serve expatriates and foreign-invested enterprises in Qingdao, the Qingdao 12333 Hotline has established a comprehensive talent development system. "On the one hand, we have pioneered a bilingual talent reserve mechanism, establishing a 'foreign language proficiency + policy expertise' dual-core talent selection system, giving priority to multidisciplinary talent with experience in public service in English (or Korean) and relevant professional backgrounds, ensuring that the service team can 'understand, respond accurately, and explain thoroughly,'" said the relevant official of the Qingdao 12333 Hotline. On the other hand, the hotline has launched a "staff-wide bilingual capability screening initiative," using a combination of "self-declaration, simulated conversations, and professional assessments" to accurately profile the foreign language proficiency and policy familiarity of all hotline staff, and to develop a "tiered and categorized" training plan. At the same time, all staff are encouraged to proactively improve their language skills, fostering a positive atmosphere of "mutual learning and healthy competition" within the team, and continuously enhancing the level of bilingual services.

To date, the Qingdao 12333 Hotline has 6 teams under its umbrella, with each team staffed by at least one bilingual service desk agent. A three-tier coordination mechanism of "Supervisor + Deputy Supervisor + Bilingual Agent" has been established. When complex issues arise, the supervisor and deputy supervisor simultaneously assist with information retrieval and professional terminology translation, while the bilingual agent provides clear and warm explanations, ensuring that expatriates receive timely and accurate responses to their inquiries. (Qingdao Daily/Guanhai News Reporter: Ren Xiaomeng; Correspondent: Sun Yichen)

Source: Qingdao Daily/Guanhai News