China’s surveyed urban unemployment rate edged lower to 5.1% in May 2026, compared with both market expectations and the previous month’s 5.2%. It marked the lowest reading since December 2025. Among the locally registered labor force, the unemployment rate edged down to 5.2% from 5.3% in April, while the rate for the migrant labor force slipped to 4.9% from 5%. Within the migrant workforce, those holding agricultural household registration recorded an unemployment rate that edged lower to 4.9% from 5%. Across 31 major cities, the surveyed urban unemployment rate also eased to 5.1% in May 2026 from 5.2% in the previous month. Meanwhile, enterprise employees nationwide worked an average of 48.2 hours per week. For the January–May period, the average surveyed urban unemployment rate stood at 5.2%.

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