appConfigEntityId

bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

isVideo

articlePageQuery

article

articleSchemaContent

content

hooksArticlePageAdvertisementConfigArticle

hooksArticlePageFloatingButtonConfigArticle

appConfig

filter

json

liveArticle

Kandy Wong

Alice Li

China’s youth unemployment rate fell slightly in December for the fourth consecutive month, though competition for jobs remains intense as policymakers confront deflationary pressures and a labour market marked by a growing mismatch between skills and vacancies.
The jobless rate for those aged 16 to 24, excluding students, fell to 16.5 per cent last month from 16.9 per cent in November, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics on Thursday.
That figure has eased since August after a record 12.2 million university students graduated over the summer, pushing the jobless rate to 18.9 per cent – the highest level since students were excluded from the data in December 2023. In June that year, youth unemployment had hit a headline-grabbing 21.3 per cent.
Jobs for college graduates and migrant workers featured prominently on the agenda of the central economic work conference on December 10 and 11, when the Chinese leadership gathered to discuss the status of the economy.
Hu Kexin, who studies French at a university in Beijing and minors in accounting, said finding a job was “definitely hard” despite securing six internships.
“I have a heavy course load every semester, and I really have to rack my brain to rearrange my schedule so I can make time for internships,” she added.
“I realised that spending another two or three years at university would be a waste of time.”


Hu began preparing for the job market in her second year of studies and started looking for a full-time position last summer. In November, she eventually secured a position at a foreign consulting firm in Beijing.
“Many of my competitors were master’s graduates from universities like Tsinghua or Peking University, or from Ivy League schools in the US,” she said.
“My school isn’t as well known as theirs, so I think what helped me stand out was my solid internship experience.”
On Tuesday, Vice-Minister of Finance Liao Min said the government would remain committed to supporting the job market through 2026, ensuring a strong start to the 15th five-year plan.
Wang Xiaoping, minister of human resources and social security, told state-run news agency Xinhua, also on Tuesday, that stabilising employment was a core political responsibility in 2026.
“This year marks the beginning of the 15th five-year plan amid a complex and changing international environment,” she said, adding that efforts would focus on strengthening policy coordination and establishing an employment-friendly development model.
The unemployment rate for those aged 25 to 29, also excluding students, stood at 6.9 per cent in December, down from 7.2 per cent in November.
China’s overall urban unemployment rate remained at 5.1 per cent in December, unchanged from November, official data showed.


Will AI adoption shrink office space? Asia-Pacific firms are on the fence in survey

Record influx of university graduates pushes China’s youth unemployment rate to 18.9%

Hong Kong’s new training visa could be available in first quarter of 2027

China’s worsening retail slowdown bolsters case for stimulus

China jobs

China’s youth unemployment rate falls slightly in December as Beijing pledges more support

China’s youth jobless rate has grown in recent years, with many graduates struggling to find work that matches their qualifications. Photo: Shutterstock


What are China’s hottest jobs as AI reshapes the labour market?

Artificial intelligence will shape the future of job creation in China as demand for AI product managers surges by 178 per cent and digital skills will be mandatory in the new employment landscape. Photo: Shutterstock

China targets hi-tech industries, domestic demand in 2026 with new policy package

Retail sales increased slightly in 2025, but still fell short of market expectations. Photo: Xinhua

Chinese workers return to Africa as lucrative job opportunities beckon

Rail projects have been  a long-standing area of cooperation between China and a number of countries in Africa. Photo: Xinhua

The high number of Chinese workers for Tanzania is likely related to the ongoing construction of the Standard Gauge Railway, according to researcher Deborah Brautigam. Photo: Reuters 

Economist Huang Yiping on why China’s AI push must be ‘job-oriented’

 Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

China’s senior-care sector: promising job growth clashes with young workers’ reluctance

An elderly person chats with a staff worker at an aged-care service centre in China’s Hainan province last month. Photo: Xinhua

Economy

China Economy

News

China

Policy

Beijing vows to prioritise job market in 2026, the first year of new five-year plan


Beijing vows to prioritise job market in 2026, the first year of new five-year plan.


China’s youth unemployment rate falls slightly in December as Beijing pledges more support

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Beijing vows to prioritise job market in 2026, the first year of new five-year plan

Beijing vows to prioritise job market in 2026, the first year of new five-year plan