China's Unemployment Rate Hits 5.4% in March, a 13-Month High
China's urban surveyed unemployment rate rose to 5.4% in March, hitting a 13-month high. With a record 12.7 million college graduates expected this year, the government faces mounting pressure to achieve its goal of stabilizing employment.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 16, 2026 at 13:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 16, 2026 at 13:31 (31 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 19, 2026 at 01:17 (59h 45m after Collected)
(Central News Agency reporter Li Ya-wen, Shanghai, 16th) The latest statistical data from China's National Bureau of Statistics shows that the national urban surveyed unemployment rate in March was 5.4%, an increase of 0.1 percentage points from February, marking a 13-month high.
Mao Shengyong, Deputy Director of China's National Bureau of Statistics, stated at a State Council Information Office press conference this morning that the national urban surveyed unemployment rate in March was 5.4%; the average rate for the first quarter was 5.3%, flat compared to the same period last year, showing an overall stable employment situation.
China's national urban surveyed unemployment rate for March was 5.4%. Compared to previous data, it increased by 0.1 percentage points from the February survey (5.3%) and by 0.2 percentage points compared to the same period last year (5.2%), setting a new high since March 2025.
Amid a slowing economic growth trend, the Chinese government continues to commit to "stabilizing employment."
The 2026 Government Work Report included "an urban unemployment rate around 5.5% and creating more than 12 million new urban jobs" as its policy targets. China's Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MOHRSS) estimates that college graduates this year will reach 12.7 million, setting another record high. Observers estimate this will bring a wave of pressure to the job market in Chinese society.
Mao Shengyong, Deputy Director of China's National Bureau of Statistics, stated at a State Council Information Office press conference this morning that the national urban surveyed unemployment rate in March was 5.4%; the average rate for the first quarter was 5.3%, flat compared to the same period last year, showing an overall stable employment situation.
China's national urban surveyed unemployment rate for March was 5.4%. Compared to previous data, it increased by 0.1 percentage points from the February survey (5.3%) and by 0.2 percentage points compared to the same period last year (5.2%), setting a new high since March 2025.
Amid a slowing economic growth trend, the Chinese government continues to commit to "stabilizing employment."
The 2026 Government Work Report included "an urban unemployment rate around 5.5% and creating more than 12 million new urban jobs" as its policy targets. China's Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MOHRSS) estimates that college graduates this year will reach 12.7 million, setting another record high. Observers estimate this will bring a wave of pressure to the job market in Chinese society.