In September 2025, the surveyed unemployment rate in urban areas of China ranged at 5.2 percent, down from 5.3 percent in the previous month. The annual unemployment rate in China was 5.1 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 2024, the employment rate in China decreased to around 62.4 percent, from 62.8 percent in the previous year. China is the world’s most populous country and its rapid economic development over the past decades has profited greatly from its large labor market. While the overall working conditions for the Chinese people are improving, the actual size of the working-age population in China has been shrinking steadily in recent years. This is mainly due to a low birth rate in the country. Economic slowdown – impact on labor market After decades of rapid development, the world’s second largest economy now seems to have difficulties to boost its economy further. The GDP growth rate indicated a declining trend over the last decade and the number of employed people decreased for the first time since decades in 2015. Under the influence of the global economic downturn, the coronavirus pandemic, and the US-China tensions, many Chinese enterprises are having tough times, which leads to a recession in China’s labor market. Chances for better employment situation The long-lasting Sino-U.S. trade war has caused China great loss on its international trade sector, which has been driving China’s economic growth for decades. However, there is also a lot China could improve. First, the potential of domestic demands could be further developed and satisfied with high-quality products. Second, it’s a good timing to eliminate backward industries with low value added, and the high-tech and environment-friendly industries should be further promoted. In addition, China’s market could be more open to services, especially in the financial sector and IT services, to attract more foreign investors. Highly skilled talents should be better valued in the labor market. Efficient vocational education and further education could also help change the structure of China’s labor market.

Techsalerator's Job Openings Data for China: A Comprehensive Resource for Employment Insights

Techsalerator's Job Openings Data for China offers a detailed and essential resource for businesses, job seekers, and labor market analysts. This dataset provides an in-depth view of job openings across various industries in China, collating information from numerous sources such as company websites, job boards, and recruitment agencies.

Key Data Fields

• Job Posting Date: Captures the listing date for each job opening, keeping job seekers and HR professionals up-to-date with the latest opportunities and market trends.
• Job Title: Details the specific role being advertised, helping categorize and filter job openings by industry and career focus.
• Company Name: Lists the hiring organizations, enabling job seekers to focus their applications and helping businesses monitor competitors and industry trends.
• Job Location: Specifies the geographic location of the job within China, aiding job seekers in finding regional opportunities and assisting employers in evaluating regional labor markets.
• Job Description: Provides comprehensive information about the responsibilities, qualifications, and skills required, offering clarity to both candidates and recruiters.

Top 5 Job Categories in China

1. Information Technology (IT): A booming sector with high demand for software developers, data scientists, and cybersecurity experts due to the rapid growth of China's digital economy.
2. Manufacturing: Significant demand for engineers, production managers, and skilled laborers in one of the world’s largest manufacturing hubs.
3. Finance and Banking: High demand for financial analysts, investment managers, and compliance officers as China’s financial sector continues to expand.
4. Healthcare: Roles for doctors, nurses, and healthcare administrators driven by the increasing demand for healthcare services due to population growth and aging.
5. E-Commerce and Retail: Opportunities for logistics managers, supply chain analysts, and digital marketing specialists, reflecting China's leadership in the global e-commerce market.

Top 5 Employers in China

1. Alibaba Group: A leading e-commerce company with frequent openings in logistics, IT, marketing, and management roles.
2. Tencent: A technology giant offering positions in software development, gaming, and cloud computing.
3. China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC): Major employer in the energy sector with roles in engineering, management, and technical services.
4. China Construction Bank: One of the largest banks in China, regularly hiring in areas like banking operations, financial analysis, and customer service.
5. Huawei Technologies: A global telecommunications company offering roles in R&D, engineering, sales, and project management.

Accessing Techsalerator’s Data

To access Techsalerator’s Job Openings Data for China, please contact info@techsalerator.com with your specific data requirements. We will provide a customized quote based on the data fields and records you need, with delivery available within 24 hours. Ongoing access options can also be discussed.

Included Data Fields

• Job Posting Date
• Job Title
• Company Name
• Job Location
• Job Description
• Application Deadline
• Job Type (Full-time, Part-time, Contract)
• Salary Range
• Required Qualifications
• Contact Information

Techsalerator’s dataset serves as a valuable tool for tracking employment trends and job opportunities in China, empowering businesses, job seekers, and analysts to make informed decisions.

Graph and download economic data for Infra-Annual Registered Unemployment and Job Vacancies: Total Economy: Registered Unemployment for China (LMUNRRTTCNQ156S) from Q1 2003 to Q3 2011 about China, unemployment, and rate.

Key information about China Labour Productivity Growth

• China Labour Productivity improved by 5.84 % YoY in Dec 2024, compared with a growth of 4.43 % in the previous year
• China Labour Productivity Growth data is updated yearly, available from Dec 1953 to Dec 2024, averaging at 8.05 %
• The data reached an all-time high of 15.12 % in Dec 1970 and a record low of -26.48 % in Dec 1961

CEIC calculates Labour Productivity Growth from annual Real GDP Index and annual Employment. The National Bureau of Statistics provides Real GDP, at 1978 prices. The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security provides Employment. Employment excludes Foreign Nationals working within the country. Real GDP prior to 1979 is based on Real GDP PY=100.


Further information about China Labour Productivity Growth

• In the latest reports, China Population reached 1,408.28 Person mn in Dec 2024
• Its Unemployment Rate increased to 5.20 % in Sep 2025
• Monthly Earnings of China stood at 1,438.12 USD in Dec 2024
• The country's Labour Force Participation Rate dropped to 65.39 % in Dec 2024

In 2023, China's labor force amounted to approximately 772.2 million people. The labor force in China indicated a general decreasing trend in recent years. As both the size of the population in working age and the share of the population participating in the labor market are declining, this downward trend will most likely persist in the foreseeable future. A country’s labor force is defined as the total number of employable people and incorporates both the employed and the unemployed population. Population challenges for China One of the reasons for the shrinking labor force is the Chinese one-child policy, which had been in effect for nearly 40 years, until it was revoked in 2016. The controversial policy was intended to improve people’s living standards and optimize resource distribution through controlling the size of China’s expanding population. Nonetheless, the policy also led to negative impacts on the labor market, pension system and other societal aspects. Today, China is becoming an aging society. The increase of elderly people and the lack of young people will become a big challenge for China in this century. Employment in China Despite the slowing down of economic growth, China’s unemployment rate has sustained a relatively low rate. Complete production chains and a well-educated labor force make China’s labor market one of the most attractive in the world. Working conditions and salaries in China have also improved significantly over the past years. Due to China’s leading position in terms of talent in the technology industry, the country is now attracting investment from some of the world’s leading companies in the high-tech sector.

China Number of Job Postings: Active data was reported at 666,764.000 Unit in 17 Nov 2025. This records a decrease from the previous number of 851,091.000 Unit for 10 Nov 2025. China Number of Job Postings: Active data is updated weekly, averaging 15,884.000 Unit from Jan 2008 (Median) to 17 Nov 2025, with 933 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2,345,038.000 Unit in 16 Aug 2021 and a record low of 0.000 Unit in 26 Jan 2009. China Number of Job Postings: Active data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Revelio Labs, Inc.. The data is categorized under Global Database’s China – Table CN.RL.JP: Number of Job Postings: Active: by Industry. The latest China job posting data is pulled from Indeed (starting in 2019), LinkUp and China's local platforms: 51job, Zhaopin, and Liepin (starting in 2020). Postings from LinkedIn were excluded from the China series due to its ban in China. Beginning in July/August 2025, Revelio brought the scraping in-house of the three local Chinese platforms (51job, Zhaopin, and Liepin). This shift, from a third-party provider, resulted in higher reported posting volumes starting in this period.

Unemployment Rate in China decreased to 5.10 percent in October from 5.20 percent in September of 2025. This dataset provides - China Unemployment Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Job Vacancies in China decreased to 4380000 in the fourth quarter of 2018 from 4890000 in the third quarter of 2018. This dataset provides - China Job Vacancies - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Graph and download economic data for Infra-Annual Registered Unemployment and Job Vacancies: Total Economy: Registered Unemployment for China (LMUNRRTTCNA156S) from 1978 to 2010 about China, unemployment, and rate.

The statistic shows the distribution of the workforce across economic sectors in China from 2014 to 2024. In 2024, around 22.2 percent of the workforce were employed in the agricultural sector, 29 percent in the industrial sector and 48.8 percent in the service sector. In 2022, the share of agriculture had increased for the first time in more than two decades, which highlights the difficult situation of the labor market due to the pandemic and economic downturn at the end of the year. Distribution of the workforce in China In 2012, China became the largest exporting country worldwide with an export value of about two trillion U.S. dollars. China’s economic system is largely based on growth and export, with the manufacturing sector being a crucial contributor to the country’s export competitiveness. Economic development was accompanied by a steady rise of labor costs, as well as a significant slowdown in labor force growth. These changes present a serious threat to the era of China as the world’s factory. The share of workforce in agriculture also steadily decreased in China until 2021, while the agricultural gross production value displayed continuous growth, amounting to approximately 7.8 trillion yuan in 2021. Development of the service sector Since 2011, the largest share of China’s labor force has been employed in the service sector. However, compared with developed countries, such as Japan or the United States, where 73 and 79 percent of the work force were active in services in 2023 respectively, the proportion of people working in the tertiary sector in China has been relatively low. The Chinese government aims to continue economic reform by moving from an emphasis on investment to consumption, among other measures. This might lead to a stronger service economy. Meanwhile, the size of the urban middle class in China is growing steadily. A growing number of affluent middle class consumers could promote consumption and help China move towards a balanced economy.

Employment: Guangdong data was reported at 70.570 Person mn in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 69.040 Person mn for 2022. Employment: Guangdong data is updated yearly, averaging 41.195 Person mn from Dec 1993 (Median) to 2023, with 21 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 70.720 Person mn in 2021 and a record low of 34.800 Person mn in 1993. Employment: Guangdong data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Labour Market – Table CN.GB: Employment: Region.

China Employment: % Change over Previous Period data was reported at 0.048 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 0.196 % for 2016. China Employment: % Change over Previous Period data is updated yearly, averaging 0.810 % from Dec 1986 (Median) to 2017, with 32 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 15.507 % in 1990 and a record low of 0.048 % in 2017. China Employment: % Change over Previous Period data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by International Monetary Fund. The data is categorized under Global Database’s China – Table CN.IMF.IFS: Labour Force, Employment and Unemployment: Annual.

In most recruiting months of 2020, the number of average daily recruiting app users increased significantly compared to the previous year, indicating that more users were accessing recruiting portals through apps.

The graph shows the number of employed people in China from 2014 to 2024. In 2024, the workforce in China amounted to around 734.4 million people. This marked an annual decrease of six million and is in line with a general downward trend since 2014. Workforce in China China’s total population has been declining since 2022 and dropped by 1.4 million annually to around 1.408 billion as of the end of 2024. This development is also reflected in the number of people in working age which has been shrinking since 2014. The labor force of China, which refers to the population aged 16 and over and capable of working, has been declining since 2016 and ranged at around 772.2 million in 2023. Out of the total number of employed people in 2023, about 470.3 million people were employed in urban areas, while 270.1 million people were working in rural areas. Distribution of the workforce The share of the workforce employed in the primary sector declined significantly from 36.7 percent in 2010 to 22.8 percent in 2023, only interrupted in 2022 by effects related to the COVID-19 pandemic. While the percentage of people employed in the primary sector decreased, the tertiary sector gained importance. As of 2023, about 29.1 percent of Chinese workers were employed in secondary and 48.1 percent in tertiary industries. The share of the workforce employed in the secondary sector increased until 2012 but decreased thereafter due to China's shift towards a service driven economy.

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 5.2 percent in the third 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.

China Employment: Urban: Reemployed from Layoff: Year to Date data was reported at 5,150.000 Person th in Dec 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 3,880.000 Person th for Sep 2024. China Employment: Urban: Reemployed from Layoff: Year to Date data is updated quarterly, averaging 3,920.000 Person th from Dec 2004 (Median) to Dec 2024, with 70 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 5,670.000 Person th in Dec 2015 and a record low of 780.000 Person th in Mar 2020. China Employment: Urban: Reemployed from Layoff: Year to Date data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Labour Market – Table CN.GB: Employment.

China Employment: Secondary Industry data was reported at 215.200 Person mn in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 211.050 Person mn for 2022. China Employment: Secondary Industry data is updated yearly, averaging 118.510 Person mn from Dec 1952 (Median) to 2023, with 72 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 232.260 Person mn in 2012 and a record low of 15.310 Person mn in 1952. China Employment: Secondary Industry data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security. The data is categorized under Global Database’s China – Table CN.GB: Employment.

This data provides a comprehensive view into how residents in key Belt and Road Initiative cities perceive China’s influence across multiple aspects of daily life. It captures nuanced sentiment related to economic opportunity, job creation, debt concerns, political influence, and infrastructure improvement, and it also produces an Overall Sentiment Index that brings these perspectives together in a single benchmark score. By incorporating demographic details such as age, income, and household type, the data creates a multidimensional understanding of how different groups within each city view China’s role. What makes this resource especially powerful is that it is not limited to a one-time snapshot. It is designed to be run repeatedly on a weekly, monthly, or quarterly basis so that changes in perception can be tracked over time and interpreted in context.

Each of the sentiment dimensions tells a different story. Economic opportunity captures whether residents believe Chinese involvement is creating pathways for trade, investment, and business growth. Job creation measures whether these investments translate into employment for locals or remain limited to outside contractors. Debt concerns reflect whether residents feel financing arrangements are sustainable or whether they put their country at risk. Political influence expresses how much China is seen as shaping governance, elections, or policy priorities. Infrastructure improvement reflects the tangible benefits that people associate with new ports, power plants, railways, or digital networks. When these are combined into the Overall Sentiment Index, it becomes possible to see a distilled score for each city at any given time while retaining the ability to drill down into the drivers of that score.

Running this data once is valuable because it shows the present balance of perception. Running it regularly transforms it into a monitoring tool. Over time, it becomes clear whether optimism is building or eroding, whether concerns are intensifying or easing, and whether residents feel more or less positively about China’s role in their city. Weekly runs allow short-term fluctuations to be observed, which is especially important when external events like debt renegotiations or infrastructure launches occur. Monthly runs strike a balance, capturing trends that are still timely but not so volatile that they obscure underlying movement. Quarterly runs provide a strategic rhythm that aligns with government planning cycles, investor reporting, and long-term program design. Whatever cadence is chosen, the ability to compare one wave of sentiment to the next adds an entirely new layer of value.

Consider the implications for economic opportunity. In one quarter, residents may feel optimistic because new trade zones are announced, but by the next quarter that optimism may fade if jobs or contracts do not materialize locally. Debt concerns may remain stable for months and then spike suddenly when repayment deadlines become politically controversial. Infrastructure satisfaction may begin high at the ribbon-cutting of a new port but then decline if maintenance is poor or if local communities feel excluded from its benefits. Political influence sentiment may ebb and flow with election cycles, reflecting moments when Chinese involvement is spotlighted in domestic debates. Without recurring data, these shifts would be invisible or anecdotal. With recurring data, they become measurable, comparable, and actionable.

Demographic segmentation intensifies the usefulness of this time-series view. Younger residents may consistently report higher enthusiasm for economic opportunity, while older residents may be more cautious. Over time, the gap between those groups can widen or narrow, revealing intergenerational dynamics that matter for future policy and business planning. Lower-income households may express higher debt concerns, while wealthier households emphasize infrastructure benefits. Families with children may be focused on long-term job creation, while singles are more attuned to short-term opportunities. Seeing these divergences move over time is more valuable than seeing them once because it highlights whether divisions are hardening, softening, or shifting to new areas.

The geographic coverage of this data spans ten strategically important BRI cities, from Karachi and Colombo to Nairobi, Addis Ababa, Almaty, Athens, Gwadar, Jakarta, Dushanbe, and Belgrade. These cities were selected not only for their individual significance but also because, taken together, they represent a cross-section of the initiative’s global reach. By comparing sentiment across these cities at multiple time points, it becomes possible to identify where China’s influence is gaining legitimacy, where it is facing skepticism, and how those dynamics differ between regions. The standardized structure of the data ensures that these comparisons are meaningful, turning local snapshots into part of a...

Employment: Hainan data was reported at 5.520 Person mn in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 5.310 Person mn for 2022. Employment: Hainan data is updated yearly, averaging 3.665 Person mn from Dec 1993 (Median) to 2023, with 23 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 5.520 Person mn in 2023 and a record low of 3.200 Person mn in 1993. Employment: Hainan data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Labour Market – Table CN.GB: Employment: Region.