Every year, during the graduation season in July and August, the national urban surveyed unemployment rate seasonally rises.

Data released on September 15 shows that in August, the national urban surveyed unemployment rate was 5.3%, up 0.1 percentage points from the previous month and unchanged from the same period last year.

Influenced by the graduation season, the national urban surveyed unemployment rate in August rose slightly compared to the previous month but remained the same as the same period last year, indicating that employment stability remains unchanged.

The group most affected by seasonal factors is college graduates. In July, the unemployment rate for the 16–24 age group (excluding students) was 17.8%, up 3.3 percentage points from the previous month and 0.7 percentage points higher than the same period last year. As usual, the August unemployment rate for this group will be announced in a few days.

Overall Stable Employment Situation

From the situation in August, the employment situation is generally stable, mainly reflected in the following aspects:

First, the urban surveyed unemployment rate is generally stable. According to the pattern of unemployment rate changes, every year during the graduation season in July and August, the national urban surveyed unemployment rate seasonally rises. As graduates gradually find jobs, the unemployment rate gradually decreases. This year, the national urban surveyed unemployment rate in August was 5.3%, up 0.1 percentage points from the previous month, mainly due to the concentrated entry of new graduates into the labor market. Compared to the same period last year, the August unemployment rate remained unchanged, indicating overall employment stability.

Second, the unemployment rate for the main working-age population remains stable. In August, the urban surveyed unemployment rate for the 30–59 age group was 3.9%, unchanged from the previous month and the same period last year, indicating stable employment for the main working-age population.

Third, the unemployment rate for migrant workers has decreased. In August, the urban surveyed unemployment rate for migrant workers was 4.7%, down 0.2 percentage points from the previous month and lower than the national urban surveyed unemployment rate.

In the next phase, while favorable conditions such as stable economic operation, cultivation of new productive forces, and effective employment policies should be recognized, it is also important to note that some industries and key groups face employment pressure, and structural contradictions such as difficulties in both finding jobs and recruiting workers remain prominent.

Large-Scale Autumn Recruitment Launched

Entering September, some large industry enterprises have started campus recruitment, which is expected to alleviate employment pressure for college graduates.

A recent report points out that during annual campus recruitment, most companies complete 70%–80% of their annual recruitment tasks through autumn recruitment, making it the main battlefield for recruitment. In recent years, most companies complete the main resume screening and interview processes from October to November. Therefore, missing the autumn recruitment significantly increases the difficulty and pressure of employment for graduates.

Since September, the four major state-owned banks—Bank of China, Agricultural Bank of China, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, and China Construction Bank—have successively announced campus recruitment positions for the 2026 graduating class. According to incomplete statistics, these major state-owned banks have collectively released over 70,000 campus recruitment positions.

Earlier this year, Guangdong launched the “Million Talents Gather in South Guangdong” initiative. By mid-July, it had already attracted over 1 million new college graduates to stay or come to Guangdong for employment and entrepreneurship, achieving the annual target ahead of schedule. It is reported that from mid-to-late September to the end of the year, Guangdong will also carry out the “Million Talents Gather in South Guangdong” autumn recruitment campaign, planning to reach over 100 universities nationwide.

Some companies’ campus recruitment is not only for the 2026 graduating class. For example, TAL Education Group’s recruitment announcement states that some positions are open to graduates from the 2023–2025 classes. Shanghai Pudong Development Bank’s announcement also “sincerely invites students from the 2024 and 2025 classes.” This helps graduates from the 2025 class and earlier who have not yet found employment to secure jobs.

A 2025 graduate said, “The launch of autumn campus recruitment is good news for graduates like me who haven’t found jobs yet, as positions are relatively abundant. However, competition is also intense. On one hand, the golden period for job hunting was actually the autumn