A record 27,817 civil service jobs are being advertised as demand for city-and county-level staff increases along with a growing retirement trend in the sector.

Applications opened on Thursday for 551 departments and institutes, including 61 that did not launch recruitment drives last year, such as the National Energy Administration.

Successful candidates will have to pass the 2016 national civil service exam, which starts on Nov 29, and those applicants found cheating could face heavy fines or up to three years in prison, according to the revised Criminal Law.