Rate among workers aged 25 to 29 falls in April, but the Chinese market still shows fragility in employment
Unemployment among working-age workers declined in April, but remained close to the highest levels on record, indicating persistent pressure on the country’s labor market.
Data released on Wednesday (May 21, 2026) by China’s National Bureau of Statistics show that the urban unemployment rate among people aged 25 to 29, excluding students, fell from 7.7% in March to 7.4% in April. Among workers aged 30 to 59, the rate went from 4.3% to 4.2%.
Despite the slight improvement, the numbers remain among the highest since the adoption of China’s new unemployment data disclosure system, implemented in early 2024.
The country’s general urban unemployment rate fell from 5.3% to 5.2% in the period. Unemployment among young people aged 16 to 24, excluding students, fell from 16.9% to 16.3%.
Citigroup’s chief China economist, Yu Xiangrong, said that Chinese economic growth has been supported mainly by external demand, but this does not necessarily generate an increase in the number of jobs. According to him, investments in sectors of the “new economy”, such as artificial intelligence, may have a limited impact on the creation of jobs.
The economist advocated that the Chinese government give greater priority to stimulating domestic demand and family well-being, instead of focusing efforts solely on economic growth goals.
This text was originally published by Agência Caixin Global, on May 21, 2026. The content is free for republication, citing the source, and was adapted to the standard of Poder360.
