China Creates 12.56 Million New Urban Jobs in 2024, Employment Remains Stable

China has achieved significant progress in its employment landscape, creating 12.56 million new urban jobs in 2024, according to the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security. The surveyed urban unemployment rate stood at 5.1 percent, a slight decrease of 0.1 percentage points from the previous year, indicating a stable employment situation.

Steady Employment Growth

“The employment situation remained generally stable,” stated Lu Aihong, spokesperson for the Ministry, during a press conference on Tuesday. By the end of 2024, over 33.05 million people who had been lifted from poverty were employed, reflecting the government’s ongoing efforts to improve livelihoods.

Expanding Social Security Coverage

China’s social security system has also expanded, with nearly 1.39 billion social security card holders by the end of last year, including 1.07 billion digital social security card users. “Social security cards are divided into physical and digital forms, and many people hold both types,” Lu explained.

Enhancing Workforce Skills

The Ministry has strengthened the standardized management of vocational competence assessments, with over 12 million individuals obtaining vocational skill-level or professional qualification certificates last year. This initiative aims to enhance workforce skills and meet the demands of various industries.

Future Employment Initiatives

Looking ahead to 2025, the Ministry plans to implement a targeted employment support program focusing on key sectors, industries, urban-rural grassroots, and micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises. This program will establish a mechanism for collecting and releasing information on job positions related to major projects.

Efforts are also underway to enhance the appeal of the private pension system. The Ministry will accelerate research and formulation of relevant policies and measures to further develop this system.

Human Resource Services Expansion

By the end of 2023, there were 70,000 human resource service agencies operating across the country, employing 1.06 million people, according to official Zhang Wenmiao. Throughout 2023, these agencies provided services to 300 million workers and 55.99 million employers, with approximately 40 percent of these employers in the manufacturing sector.

Focus on Youth Employment

To address youth employment, particularly among college graduates, the Ministry announced plans to introduce a youth job creation program this year. “Youth employment remains a top priority,” said official Chen Yongjia. Throughout 2025, the Ministry will organize a series of activities to promote employment and entrepreneurship among young people.

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