Unemployment rate in China
China: Unemployment rate was 4.6% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment rate in China, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment rate in China stood at 4.6%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.5% on the previous year and down 0.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate in China peaked at 5.0% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 2.4%, in 1991.
That places China 111th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 2.9% | 2.4% | 3.2% | 9 |
| 2000s | 4.3% | 3.3% | 4.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.5% | 4.3% | 4.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.7% | 4.5% | 5.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near China
- 108 Norway 4.6% compare
- 110 Uzbekistan 4.6% compare
- 112 Hungary 4.5% compare
- 113 Maldives 4.5% compare
- 114 Democratic Republic of Congo 4.4% compare
More work & labour data for China
- 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)
- Women can take the same jobs as men 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 64.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 69.9% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 84.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 59.1% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-6 74.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 78.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 69.6% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rate in China?
- Unemployment rate in China was 4.6% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest unemployment rate recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 5.0% in 2020.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.4% in 1991.
- How does China rank for unemployment rate?
- China ranks 111th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Unemployment rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the labor force without work, but actively looking for a job and available to start soon.