China Adds 10.52 Million Urban Jobs in First Nine Months of 2026

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BEIJING | October 10, 2026. China reported 10.52 million new urban jobs during January–September 2026, reaching 87.7% of its annual employment target, according to figures released by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security on Saturday, October 10. The figures offer an important snapshot of China’s labour market as officials prepare new policies intended to expand hiring in the services sector.

How close is China to its annual jobs target?

The ministry’s figures imply a full-year target of approximately 12 million new urban jobs. With 10.52 million jobs reported through September, roughly 1.48 million additional jobs would be needed to reach that target by year-end. The reported 87.7% progress is based on administrative employment data and should not be confused with a measure of total employment or net job creation across every part of the economy.

What the unemployment figures show

Officials said the surveyed urban unemployment rate averaged 5.2% from January to August, describing overall employment as generally stable. The period matters: the 5.2% figure covers eight months, while the urban job-creation total covers nine. The two figures measure different aspects of the labour market and should not be directly equated.

Services sector at the centre of new policy plans

Vice Minister and ministry spokesperson Li Zhong said the ministry would work with other departments to prepare a policy document promoting employment through development of the services sector. The stated objective is to make services a stronger channel for absorbing workers. Officials also said they would seek to maintain employment in labour-intensive industries while identifying new opportunities in emerging and future industries. These are planned measures, not evidence that every proposed programme is already operating.

Why services-sector hiring matters

Services include a broad range of activities, from retail and hospitality to logistics, healthcare and business support. They can provide employment opportunities across different skill levels and regions. Expanding these jobs could help absorb workers moving between industries and people entering the workforce, but the outcome will depend on demand from households and businesses, employers’ capacity to hire, and the details of future policies.

Social insurance coverage also updated

The ministry reported that 1.079 billion people were enrolled in basic pension insurance at the end of September. Unemployment insurance covered 251 million people, and work-injury insurance covered 327 million. The combined balance of the three major social insurance funds was 11.2 trillion yuan, which Reuters converted to approximately $1.67 trillion. These figures reflect different insurance programmes and should not be added together as a count of unique individuals.

What workers and businesses should watch next

The next important developments are the publication of the promised services employment policy, details of support for labour-intensive industries, and later unemployment and hiring data. The headline job total suggests China is on track against its stated annual target, but it does not by itself resolve questions about job quality, wages, regional differences or opportunities for young workers.