China’s youth unemployment rate declines for the eighth consecutive month
In February 2026, China’s youth unemployment rate for those aged 16 to 24 dropped to 16.1%, a decrease of 0.2 percentage points from January and 0.8 points lower than the same period last year, marking eight consecutive months of decline.
Source Сaixinglobal
Despite this encouraging trend, youth unemployment in China remains relatively high compared to global figures, with the US at 9.5% and the EU at 15.1%.
However, unemployment rates among older age groups have worsened. The rate for those aged 25–29 increased from 6.8% to 7.2%, and for the 30–59 age group, it rose from 4% to 4.2%.
The overall urban unemployment rate in China stood at 5.3% in February, up 0.1 percentage points from January. Experts attribute this rise to seasonal holiday effects and temporary drops in employment.
In summary, while youth unemployment shows sustained improvement, the broader labour market presents mixed signals, highlighting challenges in employment for older working-age groups.
Looking ahead, China’s economic stability and efforts to support employment will shape future labour market dynamics and help manage seasonal workforce fluctuations.
