China local hukou unemployment rate
China local hukou unemployment rate stood at 5.2% in Jul 2026, according to National Statistics Office (NSO) of China (NBS). It is one of the indicators in the Unemployment rate table (Value · Monthly), with a complete series running from Jan 2021 to Jul 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Unemployment rate table
| Indicator | 07-2026 | 06-2026 | 05-2026 | 04-2026 | 03-2026 | 02-2026 | 01-2026 | 12-2025 | 11-2025 | 10-2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local hukou population unemployment | 5.2 | 5 | 5.2 | 5.3 | 5.4 | 5.4 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.3 | |
| Non-local hukou population unemployment | 5.2 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 5 | 5.3 | 5 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.7 | |
| Youth unemployment (16-24) | 17.9 | 14.9 | 15.6 | 16.3 | 16.9 | 16.1 | 16.3 | 16.5 | 16.9 | 17.3 |
Understanding china local hukou unemployment rate
This measure reflects the percentage of the labour force with local permanent household registration who are currently unemployed but available and actively seeking work within the urban sector. The survey scope focuses exclusively on individuals possessing official residency documentation, thereby completely separating the local workforce from rural-to-urban migrants or foreign workers without household registration. The key difference from aggregate unemployment or specialized age group metrics lies in its ability to isolate the employment fluctuations of the local population, reflecting the livelihood stability of long-term residents against economic shocks.
When analysing the data, viewers should note that the figures are updated regularly on a monthly basis but are frequently accompanied by retroactive adjustments as data collection methodologies are refined. The most common pitfall is applying a month-on-month comparison perspective without excluding seasonal fluctuation factors, such as major early-year holidays that disrupt the rhythm of recruitment and staff dismissals. Instead, comparing the data with the same period of the previous year provides a truer perspective on the trends of the labour market, helping to eliminate temporary noise caused by weather or short production cycles.
Frequently asked questions
- Are migrant workers without local household registration included in this metric?
- No, these figures only include individuals with permanent household registration in the surveyed area.
- Why do figures in the first month of the year often fluctuate sharply compared to the previous month?
- Extended holidays temporarily disrupt recruitment activities and employment conditions.
- Should priority be given to month-on-month comparison or year-on-year comparison?
- Priority should be given to comparing with the same period of the previous year to eliminate seasonal effects.