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.

Employment in services (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate) in China was reported at 45.83 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. China - Employment in services (% of total employment) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on September of 2025.

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.

China Employment: Urban: New Increased: Year to Date data was reported at 3,080.000 Person th in Mar 2025. This records a decrease from the previous number of 12,560.000 Person th for Dec 2024. China Employment: Urban: New Increased: Year to Date data is updated quarterly, averaging 9,310.000 Person th from Dec 2004 (Median) to Mar 2025, with 71 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 13,610.000 Person th in Dec 2018 and a record low of 2,290.000 Person th in Mar 2020. China Employment: Urban: New Increased: 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 Total Employment data was reported at 733,510.000 Person th in 2022. This records a decrease from the previous number of 746,520.000 Person th for 2021. China Total Employment data is updated yearly, averaging 746,470.000 Person th from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2022, with 33 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 763,490.000 Person th in 2014 and a record low of 647,490.000 Person th in 1990. China Total Employment data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The data is categorized under Global Database’s China – Table CN.OECD.MSTI: Population, Labour Force and Employment: Non OECD Member: Annual.

The national breakdown by source of funds does not fully match with the classification defined in the Frascati Manual. The R&D financed by the government, business enterprises, and by the rest of the world can be retrieved but part of the expenditure has no specific source of financing, i.e. self-raised funding (in particular for independent research institutions), the funds from the higher education sector and left-over government grants from previous years.

The government and higher education sectors cover all fields of NSE and SSH while the business enterprise sector only covers the fields of NSE. There are only few organisations in the private non-profit sector, hence no R&D survey has been carried out in this sector and the data are not available.

From 2009, researcher data are collected according to the Frascati Manual definition of researcher. Beforehand, this was only the case for independent research institutions, while for the other sectors data were collected according to the UNESCO concept of “scientist and engineer”.

In 2009, the survey coverage in the business and the government sectors has been expanded.

Before 2000, all of the personnel data and 95% of the expenditure data in the business enterprise sector are for large and medium-sized enterprises only. Since 2000 however, the survey covers almost all industries and all enterprises above a certain threshold. In 2000 and 2004, a census of all enterprises was held, while in the intermediate years data for small enterprises are estimated.

Due to the reform of the S&T system some government institutions have become enterprises, and their R&D data have been reflected in the Business Enterprise sector since 2000.

Graph and download economic data for Employment to Population Ratio for China (SLEMPTOTLSPZSCHN) from 1991 to 2024 about employment-population ratio, China, population, and employment.

Employment in industry (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate) in China was reported at 31.84 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. China - Employment in industry (% of total employment) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on October of 2025.

China Employment: Primary Industry data was reported at 168.820 Person mn in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 176.630 Person mn for 2022. China Employment: Primary Industry data is updated yearly, averaging 285.155 Person mn from Dec 1952 (Median) to 2023, with 72 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 390.981 Person mn in 1991 and a record low of 154.900 Person mn in 1958. China Employment: Primary 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.

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.

Unemployment Rate in China increased to 5.30 percent in August from 5.20 percent in July of 2025. This dataset provides - China Unemployment Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Employment in agriculture (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate) in China was reported at 22.33 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. China - Employment in agriculture (% of total employment) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on September of 2025.

This statistic shows the number of employees at state-owned, collective-owned, and private enterprises in urban China from 2011 to 2021. In 2021, the number of employed persons in Chinese state-owned units in urban regions amounted to around **** million.

In 2024, around *** million people were employed in urban areas of China, while around *** million were employed in rural areas. The number of urban employees has increased considerably over the last decades. However, the growth of the urban workforce is slowing down as the total number of employees in China has already been decreasing since 2014.

China Employment: Urban: New Increased: Year to Date data was reported at 12,000.000 Person th in Oct 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 11,070.000 Person th for Sep 2018. China Employment: Urban: New Increased: Year to Date data is updated monthly, averaging 7,520.000 Person th from Jan 2013 (Median) to Oct 2018, with 69 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 13,510.000 Person th in Dec 2017 and a record low of 870.000 Person th in Jan 2017. China Employment: Urban: New Increased: 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: Tertiary Industry data was reported at 356.390 Person mn in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 345.830 Person mn for 2022. China Employment: Tertiary Industry data is updated yearly, averaging 96.640 Person mn from Dec 1952 (Median) to 2023, with 72 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 358.680 Person mn in 2021 and a record low of 17.990 Person mn in 1954. China Employment: Tertiary 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.

Employment in industry, male (% of male employment) (modeled ILO estimate) in China was reported at 34.8 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. China - Employees, industry, male (% of male employment) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on October of 2025.

Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) (modeled ILO estimate) in China was reported at 62.4 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. China - Employment to population ratio, 15+, total - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on October of 2025.

China Employment: Urban: Reemployed from Hard to be employed: Year to Date data was reported at 1,630.000 Person th in Dec 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 1,220.000 Person th for Sep 2024. China Employment: Urban: Reemployed from Hard to be employed: Year to Date data is updated quarterly, averaging 1,210.000 Person th from Dec 2004 (Median) to Dec 2024, with 70 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,830.000 Person th in Dec 2021 and a record low of 270.000 Person th in Mar 2020. China Employment: Urban: Reemployed from Hard to be employed: 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.

View monthly updates and historical trends for China Urban Survey Unemployment Rate. Source: National Bureau of Statistics of China. Track economic data w…

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.