China Created 6.95 Million Urban Jobs in H1 2026 as Labor Market Held Steady, Ministry Says

China added 6.95 million new urban jobs in the first half of 2026, with the average surveyed urban unemployment rate standing at 5.2 percent, according to the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security. Ministry spokesperson Cui Pengcheng outlined five core policy directions driving labor market work, emphasizing targeted support for university graduates, subsidized vocational training across five strategic sectors—including artificial intelligence and the low-altitude economy—and policy formulation under the upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan.

Employment serves as a crucial barometer for China's broader economic momentum and social stability. Reaching nearly seven million new urban jobs in the first half of the year reflects steady progress toward annual policy goals. Furthermore, explicitly linking vocational training to emerging industries like AI, new energy vehicles, and the low-altitude economy illustrates how Beijing is attempting to address structural labor mismatches while supporting high-tech industrial priorities.

China's urban employment landscape remained overall stable in the first half of 2026, according to figures released by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MOHRSS) at a press conference on July 22. Official statistics show that the nation created 6.95 million new urban jobs between January and June, while the nationwide surveyed urban unemployment rate averaged 5.2 percent over the six-month period. Speaking at the briefing, Cui Pengcheng, director of the MOHRSS Policy Research Department and ministry spokesperson, outlined five key focus areas that guided labor market policy during the first half of the year. First, regulators intensified macroeconomic policy support. The ministry pushed forward the drafting of the employment-first strategy for the upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan alongside a specific action plan focused on stabilizing, expanding, and upgrading employment. MOHRSS also advanced pilot projects integrating human resources services with manufacturing, while co-issuing guidance on utilizing unemployment insurance funds to support enterprise job retention. Second, authorities directed targeted interventions toward key demographics, particularly youth and university graduates. In cooperation with the Ministry of Finance, MOHRSS introduced a 16-point policy package aimed at promoting youth employment. It also collaborated with the Ministry of Education on a 100-day public employment service initiative on university campuses and launched the fifth round of the 'Three Supports and One Help' program to encourage graduates to take up grassroots posts in rural areas. Third, the ministry expanded vocational training aligned with priority growth sectors. MOHRSS partnered with industry regulators and trade groups to deliver specialized training programs across five key areas: artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, new energy vehicles, healthcare and eldercare services, and the low-altitude economy. Government-subsidized vocational training reached more than 5.5 million person-times during the first six months of the year. Finally, public employment services were modernized through digital platforms and service standardization, including cloud-based recruitment events for internet companies and streamlined procedures for handling graduate employment records.