Unemployment Rate in China remained unchanged at 5 percent in June. This dataset provides - China Unemployment Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

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 June 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.

Youth Unemployment Rate in China decreased to 14.50 percent in June from 14.90 percent in May of 2025. This dataset includes a chart with historical data for China Youth Unemployment Rate.

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.

Key information about China Unemployment Rate

• China Unemployment Rate remained the same at 5.10% in Dec 2024, from the previously reported figure of 5.10% in Sep 2024.
• China Unemployment Rate is updated quarterly, available from Mar 2017 to Dec 2024, with an average rate of 5.11%.
• The data reached an all-time high of 5.90% in Mar 2020 and a record low of 4.80% in Jun 2018.
• The data is reported by reported by CEIC Data.
• In the latest reports, China Population reached 1,408.28 million people in Dec 2024.

China Unemployment Rate: Age 25 to 59 data was reported at 4.100 % in Jun 2023. This stayed constant from the previous number of 4.100 % for May 2023. China Unemployment Rate: Age 25 to 59 data is updated monthly, averaging 4.600 % from Nov 2017 (Median) to Jun 2023, with 67 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 5.600 % in Feb 2020 and a record low of 4.100 % in Jun 2023. China Unemployment Rate: Age 25 to 59 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. According to NBS news, from Aug 2023, the urban surveyed unemployment rate of the young people by age group will be suspend. 根据国家统计局新闻发布会，自2023年8月份起，全国青年人等分年龄段的城镇调查失业率将暂停发布.

In June 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.

Graph and download economic data for Youth Unemployment Rate for China (SLUEM1524ZSCHN) from 1991 to 2024 about 15 to 24 years, China, unemployment, and rate.

China Unemployment Rate: Age 16 to 24 data was reported at 21.300 % in Jun 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 20.800 % for May 2023. China Unemployment Rate: Age 16 to 24 data is updated monthly, averaging 13.700 % from Jan 2018 (Median) to Jun 2023, with 66 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 21.300 % in Jun 2023 and a record low of 9.600 % in May 2018. China Unemployment Rate: 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. According to NBS news, from Aug 2023, the urban surveyed unemployment rate of the young people by age group will be suspend. 根据国家统计局新闻发布会，自2023年8月份起，全国青年人等分年龄段的城镇调查失业率将暂停发布.

In June 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]

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.

china - Youth Unemployment Rate for China was 15.23% in January of 2024, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, china - Youth Unemployment Rate for China reached a record high of 15.75 in January of 2023 and a record low of 12.42 in January of 2021. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for china - Youth Unemployment Rate for China - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on July of 2025.

The graph shows the number of people that were registered as unemployed in urban China in 2023, by region. In 2023, China's Sichuan province had around 831,100 unemployed residents.

In 2024, approximately 11 million people in urban areas of China had been registered as unemployed. That was an increase from 10.7 million in the previous year. Unemployment figures in China Two different sets of unemployment figures exist in China, registered unemployment and surveyed unemployment. Surveyed unemployment figures represent estimates for total unemployment in urban areas based on monthly conducted surveys. In contrast, registered unemployment refers to people in urban areas who are covered by unemployment insurance and have registered their joblessness to receive unemployment payments. As many laborers working in Chinese cities are not covered by unemployment insurance, figures for registered unemployment are always lower than those for surveyed unemployment and do not represent a correct picture of total unemployment. According to the graph at hand, absolute registered unemployment in urban China has gradually risen over the past decade. This is mainly related to an overall increase of people living and working in Chinese cities. Absolute figures for the total number of unemployed people are not published in China. Regional disparities in unemployment For several decades, unemployment figures in undeveloped western and central regions of China had been higher than those of the developing coastal provinces. This trend has been changing in recent years, as the economic development in many inner regions of China has caught up and labor intensive industries have been moved from the increasingly expensive coastal regions to cheaper locations in inner provinces. This trend has been supported by government efforts to develop the formerly underdeveloped western and central regions. Nevertheless, regional disparities remain, and overall economic conditions are still far from being equal. Nowadays, regional urban unemployment rates in the former center of the Chinese steel and heavy industries in northeastern China are the highest in national comparison, while unemployment in the southern coastal provinces Guangdong, Guangxi, and Hainan is comparatively low. Interestingly, the official unemployment rate of Beijing was by far the lowest in China, while that of Shanghai was much higher.

China Unemployment Rate: % Change over Previous Period data was reported at -2.353 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of -0.247 % for 2016. China Unemployment Rate: % Change over Previous Period data is updated yearly, averaging 0.000 % from Dec 1986 (Median) to 2017, with 32 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 30.000 % in 1989 and a record low of -8.000 % in 1991. China Unemployment Rate: % 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 2024, the surveyed unemployment rate in Beijing municipality in China ranged at *** percent. Surveyed unemployment in China is normally higher than registered unemployment.The methodology for collecting unemployment data and calculating the unemployment rate was changed in 2022, switching from registered to surveyed unemployment. While registered unemployment does only take into account those people who actively registered as unemployed, surveyed unemployment is based on representative employment surveys among the labor force and should provide a more accurate picture of actual unemployment.

In 2024, the youth unemployment rate in China decreased by 0.5 percentage points (-3.18 percent) compared to 2023. Nevertheless, the last two years recorded a significantly higher youth unemployment rate than the preceding years.The youth unemployment rate refers to the share of the economically active population aged 15 to 24 currently without work but in search of employment. The youth unemployment rate does not include economically inactive persons such as the long-term unemployed or full-time students.Find more key insights for the youth unemployment rate in countries like Japan and Mongolia.

Registered Unemployment Rate: Urban: Beijing data was reported at 3.230 % in 2021. This records an increase from the previous number of 2.560 % for 2020. Registered Unemployment Rate: Urban: Beijing data is updated yearly, averaging 1.305 % from Dec 1980 (Median) to 2021, with 34 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 3.230 % in 2021 and a record low of 0.400 % in 1995. Registered Unemployment Rate: Urban: Beijing 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: Registered Unemployment.

This dataset provides values for UNEMPLOYMENT RATE reported in several countries. The data includes current values, previous releases, historical highs and record lows, release frequency, reported unit and currency.