Beijing is launching an 18-month global recruitment drive as it looks to hire around 27,000 volunteers to work at the 2022 Winter Olympics.

An online application system will be available from Thursday, which coincides with the United Nations' annual International Volunteer Day, and will be open to both domestic and overseas applicants.

Successful candidates will be trained to assist organizers in 12 job categories specifically during the 17-day Olympics as opposed to the build-up to the Games, including international liaison, competition organization, media operation and venue service, in Beijing and co-host Zhangjiakou, Hebei province, according to the organizing committee's human resource department.