Share of workers in vulnerable employment in China
China: Share of workers in vulnerable employment was 33.4% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Share of workers in vulnerable employment in China, 1991–2025
Source: International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
China recorded 33.4% for share of workers in vulnerable employment in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
The figure is down 1.2% on the previous year and down 10.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of workers in vulnerable employment in China peaked at 53.8% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 33.4%, in 2025.
China ranks 82nd of 186 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 51.2% | 48.6% | 53.8% | 9 |
| 2000s | 44.8% | 41.2% | 48.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 37.7% | 35.3% | 40.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 34.4% | 33.4% | 35.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near China
More work & labour data for China
- Women can take the same jobs as men 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Legislation on sexual harassment in employment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 59.1% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 50.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 49.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 69.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 78.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-6 74.0% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 84.7% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of workers in vulnerable employment in China?
- Share of workers in vulnerable employment in China was 33.4% in 2025, according to International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of workers in vulnerable employment recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 53.8% in 1991.
- What is the lowest share of workers in vulnerable employment recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 33.4% in 2025.
- How does China rank for share of workers in vulnerable employment?
- China ranks 82nd out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of workers in vulnerable employment rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of workers in vulnerable employment. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of employed population who are working as independent own-account workers (self-employed without staff), or contributing family workers (self-employed in a household business or farm).