The Chinese mainland added 12.56 million new urban jobs in 2024, reflecting a stable employment situation, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security announced on Tuesday.
According to the ministry, the surveyed urban unemployment rate stood at 5.1 percent in 2024, a decrease of 0.1 percentage points from the previous year. \"The employment situation remained generally stable,\" said Lu Aihong, spokesperson for the ministry, during a press conference.
Significantly, over 33.05 million people who had been lifted from poverty were employed by the end of 2024, demonstrating China's ongoing efforts to promote inclusive employment opportunities.
Lu also highlighted that nearly 1.39 billion people held social security cards by the end of last year, including 1.07 billion digital social security card users. Social security cards are available in both physical and digital formats, with many residents possessing both types.
In a move to boost workforce qualifications, over 12 million individuals obtained vocational skill-level certificates or professional qualification certificates last year. The ministry has strengthened the standardized management of vocational competence assessments to support this achievement.
Looking ahead to 2025, the ministry announced plans to implement a targeted employment support program focused on key sectors, industries, urban-rural grassroots, as well as micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises. This initiative includes establishing a mechanism for collecting and releasing information on job positions related to major projects.
The ministry will also accelerate research and formulate policies to further enhance the appeal of the private pension system, aiming to provide better retirement security for citizens.
By the end of 2023, approximately 70,000 human resource service agencies were operating across the country, employing 1.06 million people. These agencies provided services to 300 million workers and 55.99 million employers throughout 2023, with about 40 percent of the employers in the manufacturing sector, according to ministry official Zhang Wenmiao.
The ministry emphasized its commitment to youth employment, particularly for college graduates. This year, it plans to introduce a youth job creation program that includes measures to boost employment and entrepreneurship among young people. \"Youth employment remains a top priority,\" said Chen Yongjia, an official with the ministry. \"Throughout 2025, we will organize a series of activities to promote employment and entrepreneurship among young people.\"
Reference(s):
China adds 12.56m new urban jobs in 2024, employment situation stable
cgtn.com
