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.

In May 2025, the surveyed unemployment rate in urban areas of China ranged at *** percent, down from *** percent in 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.

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 May 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.

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.

The statistic shows the estimated unemployment rate in China from 2013 to 2023, broken down by gender. In 2023, approximately 4.31 percent of the female labor force in China were unemployed.

In May 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.

The graph shows the quarterly registered unemployment rate in urban regions of China from the second quarter of 2018 to the fourth quarter of 2021 and the surveyed urban unemployment rate since the first quarter of 2022 with an approximate figure for Q4 2021. During the second quarter of 2023, around *** percent of the Chinese urban labor force had been unemployed. The monthly surveyed unemployment rate of urban areas in China ranged at *** percent in August 2023. The figures of the monthly surveyed unemployment rate indicate that surveyed unemployment in the fourth quarter of 2021 had ranged between *** and *** percent.

This statistic shows the unemployment rate in urban China between 2011 and 2012, by age group. In 2011, 9.6 percent of people between 21 and 25 years old in urban China were registered as unemployed.

This statistic shows the unemployment rate among people between 51 and 60 years in urban China in 2011, by gender. In 2011, 11 percent of women between 51 and 55 years were registered as unemployed in China.

This statistic shows the unemployment rate in urban China in 2011, by education level. In 2011, 4.1 percent of college graduates were unemployed in China.

This statistic shows the rate of registered unemployment in urban areas of China in 2022, by region. In 2022, the unemployment rate in urban areas of Heilongjiang province was around 3.2 percent.

Since 2022, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security of China does not publish figures on registered unemployment any more and switched to a survey methodology to collect data on unemployment. However, current regional data for all provinces have not been consistently published yet.

This statistic shows the unemployment rate in urban China between 2011 and 2012, by education level. In 2011, 2.3 percent of the college graduates were unemployed in China.

In the period between January and April 2025, the cumulated gross profit of sizable industrial enterprises in China increased 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.

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.

As of 2024, the rate of surveyed unemployment in urban areas of Guangdong province in China stood at *** percent, remaining flat from the previous year. Guangdong is the most populous province in China and home to many labor-intensive manufacturing companies.

In 2024, the surveyed unemployment rate in the Shanghai municipality ranged at 4.2 percent. The Shanghai Statistics Bureau changed the methodology for collecting and calculating the unemployment rate in 2023, switching from registered unemployment to surveyed unemployment. While registered unemployment did only take into account those people who actively registered as unemployed, surveyed unemployment is based on representative surveys among the labor force and should provide a more accurate picture of actual unemployment.

This statistic shows the unemployment rate of middle-aged people in urban China in 2011, by education level. In 2011, 13 percent of Chinese between 46 and 50 years old with middle school degree were registered as unemployed.

In 2023, the employment rate in China decreased to around 63.09 percent, from 63.57 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.

The statistic shows the highest unemployment rates among university graduates in China in 2010, by degree course. In 2010, the unemployment rate among financial administration graduates amounted to **** percent in China.

This statistic presents the results of a survey on perceived unemployment rate among working age population in China as of October 2018. According to data published by Ipsos, Chinese respondents overestimated the level of unemployment in their country. On average, the respondents thought that around ** out of every 100 Chinese people of working age were unemployed and looking for work, when the actual unemployment rate was **** percent in China.