China Jobless Rate Eases to 3-Month Low

2026-05-18 02:11 By Czyrill Jean Coloma 1 min. read

China’s surveyed urban unemployment rate edged down to 5.2% in April 2026 from a more than one-year high of 5.4% in the previous month, coming in below market expectations of 5.3% and marking its lowest level since January 2026.

Among the locally registered labor force, the unemployment rate ticked lower to 5.3% from 5.4% in March, while the rate for the migrant labor force fell to 5.0% from 5.3%.

Within the migrant workforce, those holding agricultural household registration recorded an unemployment rate of 5.0% in April, down from 5.7% in the previous month.

Across 31 major cities, the surveyed urban unemployment rate also eased slightly to 5.2% from 5.3%.

Meanwhile, enterprise employees nationwide worked an average of 48 hours per week.

For the January to April period, the average surveyed urban unemployment rate was 5.3%.



News Stream
China Jobless Rate Eases to 3-Month Low
China’s surveyed urban unemployment rate edged down to 5.2% in April 2026 from a more than one-year high of 5.4% in the previous month, coming in below market expectations of 5.3% and marking its lowest level since January 2026. Among the locally registered labor force, the unemployment rate ticked lower to 5.3% from 5.4% in March, while the rate for the migrant labor force fell to 5.0% from 5.3%. Within the migrant workforce, those holding agricultural household registration recorded an unemployment rate of 5.0% in April, down from 5.7% in the previous month. Across 31 major cities, the surveyed urban unemployment rate also eased slightly to 5.2% from 5.3%. Meanwhile, enterprise employees nationwide worked an average of 48 hours per week. For the January to April period, the average surveyed urban unemployment rate was 5.3%.
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