On 22 July 2026 the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) released for public comment the complete dossier of companies seeking qualification in the year’s seventh batch of “civil-aviation specialised engineering” licences. The notice, issued by the CAAC Airport Department, lists project managers, certified engineers and reference projects for each applicant and invites objections until 28 July. The transparency exercise is a prerequisite for firms hoping to bid on federally funded runway, terminal and air-navigation projects. Why should global mobility teams care about an apparently dry regulatory listing? Because civil-engineering qualification is the gatekeeper to China’s vast airport-construction pipeline—71 runways and 100-plus terminal expansions are scheduled for the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2026). Successful applicants in this batch will be eligible to work on capacity-critical projects such as Beijing Daxing’s Phase-2 satellite hall, the new Chengdu Tianfu cargo apron, and the multimodal transport hub planned for Shenzhen’s re-built Huanggang border crossing. For multinational companies relocating staff to tier-2 cities, the pace at which secondary airports add gates, international arrival halls and intermodal rail links directly influences flight availability, air-freight lead times and, ultimately, assignment feasibility. A faster licence-approval cycle shortens construction timelines and brings new international routes online sooner. Conversely, contractors that fail the CAAC vetting must withdraw bids, delaying projects for months. The current batch also reflects China’s push for greener infrastructure. Firms are required to document low-carbon design credentials and previous use of modular baggage systems or photovoltaic roofing. That aligns with Beijing’s target for all new large-scale transport hubs to meet three-star Green-Building standards by 2027. Mobility, travel and procurement managers should therefore track which bidders make the cut; partners with proven CAAC credentials may prove lower-risk when fitting out corporate lounges or crew facilities. Stakeholders may submit feedback by post or email to the CAAC Examination Office; objections must include real-name contact details and supporting evidence. After the comment window closes the regulator will publish a final approval list, giving qualified enterprises the green light to sign EPC (engineering-procurement-construction) contracts from Q4 2026 onward.
