2025-10-20
China's September Unemployment Rate Drops to 5.2%, Employment Situation Remains Stable in First Three Quarters
In September, China’s surveyed urban unemployment rate stood at 5.2%, down 0.1 percentage point from the previous month, indicating continued improvement in the labor market. The average unemployment rate for the first three quarters also remained at 5.2%, reflecting overall employment stability. Notably, the surveyed unemployment rate across 31 major cities likewise recorded 5.2%, a 0.1 percentage point decline from August, suggesting a synchronized recovery in urban labor markets. As of the end of the third quarter, the total number of rural migrant workers reached 191.87 million, up 0.9% year-on-year, highlighting steady progress in rural labor transfer and providing solid support for overall employment stability.
In September, unemployment conditions varied among different labor groups:
Local household-registered workers: The surveyed unemployment rate was 5.3%, 0.4 percentage point higher than that of non-local workers, reflecting some structural pressure in local labor markets.
Non-local household-registered workers: The unemployment rate stood at 4.9%, indicating relatively stable employment and strong competitiveness among migrant workers.
Non-local agricultural household-registered workers: The rate further declined to 4.7%, the lowest among all groups, underscoring the manufacturing and service sectors’ continued absorption of rural labor.
Working hours indicator: The average weekly working hours for employed persons nationwide reached 48.6 hours, slightly above the standard level, suggesting that corporate labor demand remains within a healthy range.
Overall, while employment conditions differ among household types, the labor market continues to demonstrate resilience and vitality.
In summary, the slight decline in September’s unemployment rate and stable performance throughout the first three quarters confirm the positive effects of policy support and economic recovery on employment. In the short term, benefiting from the traditional consumption peak and year-end production demand, the unemployment rate is expected to stay within the 5.0%–5.2% range over the next one to two months, with hiring demand likely to rebound in both services and manufacturing. Over the medium term, structural challenges such as youth unemployment and skill mismatches resulting from industrial transformation will persist. However, with ongoing employment stabilization policies and the accelerated development of emerging industries, the overall labor market is expected to remain broadly stable. Meanwhile, the continued outflow of rural labor and steady urbanization will provide long-term support, keeping the annual surveyed urban unemployment rate within the government’s target of below 5.5%.
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