1. China’s surveyed urban unemployment rate for people aged 16 to 24, excluding students, fell by 0.9 percentage points from August to 18% in September, according to official data released Wednesday. The decline reflects the easing impact of the summer graduation season on the youth labor market. [para. 1]
2. The September rate was the highest for that month since January 2024, when the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) began publishing youth unemployment data excluding students. The figure was 0.4 percentage points higher than the rate in September 2024 and 0.3 percentage points higher than the rate in September 2025. [para. 2]
3. NBS official Xiao Ning explained that youth unemployment typically rises in July and August as graduates enter the labor market, then falls in September as they secure jobs. This seasonal pattern was cited to account for the monthly movements in the data. [para. 3]
4. Among older age groups, the surveyed urban unemployment rate for people aged 25 to 29, excluding students, edged down 0.1 percentage points to 7.4% in September, while the rate for those aged 30 to 59 remained unchanged at 3.9%. [para. 5]
5. The overall surveyed urban unemployment rate stood at 5.2% in September, matching the average for the first three quarters of the year. This suggests broad stability in the national urban labor market despite persistent youth unemployment pressures. [para. 6]
6. According to Xiao Ning, employment growth this year has been concentrated in information technology and software, as well as in accommodation, catering and transportation. These sectors were supported by expanding tourism consumption, which helped create jobs and offset some of the weakness in youth employment. [para. 7]
7. The data were released by the National Bureau of Statistics and reported by Caixin, with Lin Jinbing listed as the contact editor for the report. [para. 8]
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