China's Youth Jobless Rate Rose in March
By Reuters | 20 Apr, 2026

Among Chinese aged 16 to 24 the jobless rate rose to 16.9% from 16.1% in February, a bigger increase than among older segments.

People line up at career guidance booths during a job fair in Beijing, China March 14, 2026. REUTERS/Florence Lo

The jobless rate in China for those under 30 years of age in urban areas, excluding college students, rose in March, data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed.

• In the youngest segment surveyed, among 16-to-24 year-olds, the jobless rate rose to 16.9% from 16.1% a month earlier, reversing a downward trend that started in September last year.

• Among the 25-29 year-olds, excluding students, the unemployment rate climbed to 7.7% from 7.2% in February.

• In the 30-59 year-old segment, joblessness inched up slightly to 4.3% from 4.2% a month earlier.

(Reporting by Liz Lee and Beijing newsroom; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)