Jane Chen/ Shanghai Daily news

Government workers in Shanghai can apply to take this year's second Business Language Testing Service test scheduled for December 12 by registering from October 10 to the 30th, today's Laodong Daily reported.
According to the new personnel rule targeting government work proficiency, by 2007 all local government workers under 40 years old must pass the BULATS test. The test is designed for the growing number of organizations and companies that rely on the language skills of their employees in order to operate effectively.
Requirements vary for different age groups.
This year's first BULATS test was held in June.
China's personnel bureau has adopted the BULATS test as the authorized assessment tool for government workers' English skills.
BULATS is a collaborative venture between the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations and three leading European language institutes: the Alliance Francaise, the Goethe-Institut and the Universidad de Salamanca. It is believed that this collaboration will ensure the rigor of the tests, the accuracy of each language version and the reliability of the results.
Others who want to assess their professional English language can also apply to sit for the test.