China’s Youth Jobless Rate Climbs to 17.9% in July

China’s youth unemployment rate rose to 17.9% in July from the previous month, the highest July reading in three years, as a new wave of graduates entered the job market.

The broader national jobless rate also increased more than is typical for the summer, pointing to mounting employment pressure across the economy.

The unemployment rate for people aged 16 to 24, excluding students, climbed 3 percentage points from June, according to data published Wednesday by the National Bureau of Statistics. The reading exceeded 17.1% in July 2024 and 17.8% in July 2025. Youth unemployment in China typically peaks in July and August during the summer graduation season.