Shanghai became the country's first provincial-level region to require any job seeker for a position near places where young people congregate to have no criminal record regarding sexual conduct, to best protect minors.

A preschool teacher plays with children in his classroom in Shanghai. (Photo: China Daily)

Illegal activities and crimes not only refer to court verdicts but also to decisions to not prosecute a suspect made by prosecuting agencies and administrative punishments made by police, the Shanghai People's Procuratorate said on Wednesday ahead of International Children's Day, which falls on Saturday.

Wu Yan, director of juvenile prosecutions for the Shanghai procuratorate, said that lawbreakers with a history of receiving a criminal penalty for rape or molesting children, or an administrative penalty for seducing, providing shelter and making introductions for prostitution will be barred from entering job positions at schools, educational and physical training institutions, day care centers, hospitals and children's welfare facilities.

Jobs such as teachers, doctors, coaches and care givers, as well as security guards and school bus drivers who have close contact with minors at work are all included, she said.

Job applicants at such institutions should present proof that their records are free of illegal sexual conduct, and employers must verify the proof with police.