China’s surveyed urban unemployment rate rose to 5.3% in February 2026 from 5.2% in the previous month and above market expectations of 5.1%. Among the locally registered labor force, the unemployment rate edged higher to 5.4% from 5.3% in the previous five months, while the rate for the migrant labor force grew 5% from 4.8% in January. Within the migrant workforce, those holding agricultural household registration recorded an unemployment rate of 5.2%. Across 31 major cities, the surveyed urban unemployment rate held steady at 5.1%. Meanwhile, enterprise employees nationwide worked an average of 48.1 hours per week.
