Unemployment Rate in China increased to 5.20 percent in July from 5 percent in June of 2025. This dataset provides - China Unemployment Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

In 2024, the rate of surveyed unemployment in urban areas of China amounted to approximately 5.1 percent. The unemployment rate is expected to remain at 5.1 percent in 2025 and the following years. Monthly unemployment ranged at a level of around 5.3 percent in the first quarter of 2025. Unemployment rate in China In 2017, the National Statistics Bureau of China introduced surveyed unemployment as a new indicator of unemployment in the country. It is based on monthly surveys among the labor force in urban areas of China. Surveyed unemployment replaced registered unemployment figures, which were often criticized for missing out large parts of the urban labor force and thereby not presenting a true picture of urban unemployment levels. However, current unemployment figures still do not include rural areas.A main concern in China’s current state of employment lies within the large regional differences. As of 2021, the unemployment rate in northeastern regions of China was notably higher than in China’s southern parts. In Beijing, China’s political and cultural center, registered unemployment ranged at around 3.2 percent for 2021. Indicators of economic activities Apart from the unemployment rate, most commonly used indicators to measure economic activities of a country are GDP growth and inflation rate. According to an IMF forecast, GDP growth in China will decrease to about four percent in 2025, after five percent in 2023, depicting a decrease of more than six percentage points from 10.6 percent in 2010. Quarterly growth data published by the National Bureau of Statistics indicated 5.4 percent GDP growth for the first quarter of 2025.

A taxa de desemprego juvenil na China diminuiu para 14,50% em junho, em comparação com 14,90% em maio de 2025. Esta página inclui um gráfico com dados históricos da Taxa de Desemprego Juvenil na China.

China resumed the release of youth unemployment data in January 2024 after publication had been suspended for six months, using a new statistical methodology. Youth unemployment hit a record high of 21.3 percent in June 2023 after having increased for several years in a row, when a spokesman of the National Bureau of Statistics of China announced that the statistical methodology for calculating age specific unemployment rates needed improvement and publication would be temporarily suspended. The new methodology does not include university students anymore, resulting in a youth unemployment rate of **** percent in July 2025. Youth jobless figures fluctuate over the year and normally peak in July in China, when the largest number of graduates enter the job market.

Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) in China was reported at 4.571 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. China - Unemployment, total - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

In July 2025, the surveyed unemployment rate in urban areas of China ranged at *** percent, remaining flat from the previous month. The annual unemployment rate in China was *** percent in 2024. Surveyed versus registered unemployment Figures on surveyed unemployment were published by the National Bureau of Statistics of China in 2018 for the first time. The use of surveys was initiated to get a more accurate picture of actual unemployment in urban areas of China. The surveys cover all permanent residents between the age of 16 and retirement age living in cities. In contrast, registered unemployment figures take only those people into account that have actively reported their unemployment. As most migrant workers and other groups that do not qualify for unemployment compensations in China normally do not report their unemployment status, the figures for registered unemployment are considerably lower than those for surveyed unemployment. Youth unemployment in China Youth unemployment has become a growing problem in China in recent years. Unemployment figures for young people fluctuate over the year and normally peak in July and August in China, when the largest number of graduates enter the job market. The youth unemployment rate increased from 13.9 percent in July 2019 to 16.8 percent in July 2020, 19.9 percent in July 2022, and 21.3 percent in June 2023. This is mainly due to difficult economic conditions and rising numbers of college graduates who often do not fit the demand for more practically skilled work in the job market.

In July 2025, the surveyed unemployment rate of people between 30 and 59 years of age in urban areas of China ranged at *** percent. December 2023 unemployment figures were prepared by the National Bureau of Statistics of China using for the first time an adjusted methodology for calculating age specific unemployment rates. According to the new methodology, university students are not included in the figures any more. Furthermore, the age range for adult unemployment has been split up into two age groups from 25 to 29 and 30 to 59 years.Adult unemployment is commonly considerably lower than youth unemployment. Therefore, the total unemployment rate in urban areas of China is usually slightly higher than the adult unemployment rate of people aged 30 to 59.

China Unemployment Rate: 31-City Survey data was reported at 5.200 % in Mar 2025. This stayed constant from the previous number of 5.200 % for Feb 2025. China Unemployment Rate: 31-City Survey data is updated monthly, averaging 5.100 % from Jun 2013 (Median) to Mar 2025, with 123 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 6.900 % in May 2022 and a record low of 4.700 % in Dec 2018. China Unemployment Rate: 31-City Survey data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Labour Market – Table CN.GB: Surveyed Unemployment. [COVID-19-IMPACT]

Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) in China was reported at 3.975 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. China - Unemployment, female - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on August of 2025.

China Surveyed Unemployment Rate: Urban: Local Household Registration data was reported at 5.300 % in Mar 2025. This records a decrease from the previous number of 5.600 % for Feb 2025. China Surveyed Unemployment Rate: Urban: Local Household Registration data is updated monthly, averaging 5.300 % from Jan 2021 (Median) to Mar 2025, with 51 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 5.700 % in Apr 2022 and a record low of 4.900 % in Oct 2021. China Surveyed Unemployment Rate: Urban: Local Household Registration data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Labour Market – Table CN.GB: Surveyed Unemployment.

From the second quarter of 2022, France was the country of those included in the chart with the highest unemployment rates. During the first quarter of 2024, the European country registered an unemployment rate of 7.41. In the same quarter, Japan had the lowest unemployment rates of the countries included. China does not release quarterly unemployment rate statistics anymore. Monthly unemployment data can be found here.

Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (national estimate) in China was reported at 5.11 % in 2021, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. China - Unemployment, total (national estimate) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on August of 2025.

China Surveyed Unemployment Rate: Urban: Average data was reported at 5.270 % in Mar 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 5.030 % for Dec 2024. China Surveyed Unemployment Rate: Urban: Average data is updated quarterly, averaging 5.230 % from Mar 2022 (Median) to Mar 2025, with 13 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 5.830 % in Jun 2022 and a record low of 5.000 % in Jun 2024. China Surveyed Unemployment Rate: Urban: Average data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Labour Market – Table CN.GB: Surveyed Unemployment.

Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) (modeled ILO estimate) in China was reported at 15.23 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. China - Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) in China was reported at 5.062 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. China - Unemployment, male - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

China Surveyed Unemployment Rate: Urban: (Excluding Students) Age 16 to 24 data was reported at 16.500 % in Mar 2025. This records a decrease from the previous number of 16.900 % for Feb 2025. China Surveyed Unemployment Rate: Urban: (Excluding Students) Age 16 to 24 data is updated monthly, averaging 15.900 % from Dec 2023 (Median) to Mar 2025, with 16 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 18.800 % in Aug 2024 and a record low of 13.200 % in Jun 2024. China Surveyed Unemployment Rate: Urban: (Excluding Students) Age 16 to 24 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Labour Market – Table CN.GB: Surveyed Unemployment. From December 2023, taking into account the national conditions,the statistics of the unemployment rate by age group have been improved and adjusted, and the surveyed unemployment rate by age group excluding students has been calculated.

Unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) (modeled ILO estimate) in China was reported at 13.55 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. China - Unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on August of 2025.

The youth unemployment rate in China was 15.23 percent in 2024. Between 1991 and 2024, the youth unemployment rate rose by 10.86 percentage points, though the increase followed an uneven trajectory rather than a consistent upward trend.

In the period between January and June 2025, the cumulated gross profit of sizable industrial enterprises in China decreased by *** percent compared to the same time period in the previous year. The cumulated gross revenues of sizable industrial enterprises in China increased by *** percent compared to the previous year.

China Surveyed Unemployment Rate: Urban: Non-Local Household Registration: Agricultural data was reported at 5.000 % in Mar 2025. This records a decrease from the previous number of 5.100 % for Feb 2025. China Surveyed Unemployment Rate: Urban: Non-Local Household Registration: Agricultural data is updated monthly, averaging 4.900 % from Feb 2022 (Median) to Mar 2025, with 35 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 6.600 % in Apr 2022 and a record low of 4.300 % in Dec 2023. China Surveyed Unemployment Rate: Urban: Non-Local Household Registration: Agricultural data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Labour Market – Table CN.GB: Surveyed Unemployment.