Unemployment rate in China 2017-2029

In 2023, the rate of surveyed unemployment in urban areas of China amounted to approximately 5.2 percent. The unemployment rate is expected to decrease slightly to 5.1 percent in 2024 and the following years. Monthly unemployment ranged at a level of around 5.2 percent in the third quarter of 2024. 

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 4.8 percent in 2024, after 5.2 percent in 2023, depicting a decrease of six percentage points from 10.6 percent in 2010. Quarterly growth data published by the National Bureau of Statistics indicated 4.6 percent GDP growth for the third quarter of 2024.