At 18.9%, China's youth unemployment rises to highest level since 2023

China's urban youth unemployment rate jumped to its highest level last month since the data set was revised in 2023, reflecting weaker job prospects for young people amid the economic slowdown.

 

The jobless rate for those aged between 16 and 24, excluding students, increased to 18.9 per cent in August from 17.8 per cent in July, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics, as reported by the South China Morning Post.

 

According to the report, a record 12.2 million university students graduated this summer, with many of them joining a job market that was strained by deflationary pressures and external uncertainties. Many are still struggling to find roles that match their education and skill set.

 

China halted jobs data in 2023

 

After youth unemployment hit a record 21.3 per cent in June 2023, Beijing halted the monthly release of the data for five months before resuming in December 2023 with a revised calculation method. Criticising the data for being 'counter-productive'. Concerns were raised over data transparency and economic ramifications, as such figures are crucial for economists and investors to assess the extent of China’s slowdown accurately.

 

The report citing 2023 data suggested that more than one out of every five people in the age group of 16 and 24 were unemployed since April 2023.

China urban youth unemployment data 2025

 

January: 16.1 per cent

February: 16.9 per cent

March: 16.5 per cent

April: 15.8 per cent

May: 14.9 per cent

June: 14.5 per cent

July: 17.8 per cent

 

China's economy loses steam in August

 

Data released by the National Bureau of Statistics showed the Chinese economy losing steam in August. Industrial production rose to 5.2 per cent compared to the previous year, while retail sales grew 3.4 per cent. Fixed-asset investment—covering infrastructure, manufacturing, and property—rose only 0.5 per cent in the first eight months, marking the weakest growth for this period since 2020.

 

China's inflation data pointed towards a persistent weakness in consumer demand. The consumer price index (CPI)-based inflation dropped 0.4 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) in August.

 

China's real-estate sector also witnessed a slump, with investments declining 12.9 per cent in the first eight months of 2025. Sales of new commercial buildings by floor area fell 4.7 per cent Y-o-Y during the same period, with 573.04 million square metres sold.