ABSTRACT This study uses data from 5965 social workers in the China Social Work Longitudinal Study (CSWLS) and employs propensity score matching to examine whether obtaining certification through the Chinese Social Work Professional Level Examination (CSWPLE) ensures that social workers possess a certain level of professional competence. The analysis results indicate that the CSWPLE can guarantee that certified social workers who pass the examination possess a certain level of professional competence. The CSWPLE, characterised by the abandoning educational restrictions, low-threshold, and government led, provides a new model for promoting the development of social work in developing countries and regions.