China’s urban youth unemployment rate for those aged 16–24, excluding students, dropped to 15.6% in May 2026, the lowest in eleven months, from 16.3% in April, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. The fall mirrored the broader jobless rate, which edged lower to 5.1% from 5.2%. Meanwhile, unemployment among 25–29-year-olds, also excluding students, fell to 7.2% from 7.4% in the previous month, though it remains above the long-term average, suggesting that early-career workers continue to face a competitive labor market and slower transitions into stable employment. For the 30–59 age group, the jobless rate ticked down to 4.1% from 4.2%.