Labour force participation in China
The ILO estimates that 64.6% of people aged 15 and over in China were in the labour force in 2025. The value for 2025 is the lowest in the series, which starts in 1991.
China, 2025
64.6%
Change from 2024
−0.4percentage points
World, 2025
60.8%
Median of G20 countries, 2025
61.7%
Position in 2025
67th of 181
Labour force participation in China over time
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China
World
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The chart loads when you scroll to it. The table below shows the same data.
The chart shows a calculation from the published values. The table below keeps the published values.
% of working-age population aged 15 and over. Source: ILO, ILOSTAT (ILO Modelled Estimates). Gaps mean no published value; points are not joined across missing years. Dashed lines are projections.
| Period | China | World |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 64.6% | 60.8% |
| 2024 | 64.9% | 61.0% |
| 2023 | 65.8% | 61.0% |
| 2022 | 65.8% | 60.7% |
| 2021 | 67.1% | 60.4% |
| 2020 | 65.7% | 59.7% |
| 2019 | 67.4% | 61.0% |
| 2018 | 67.8% | 61.2% |
| 2017 | 68.4% | 61.3% |
| 2016 | 68.9% | 61.5% |
Flags: f Projection . A dash means no value was published.
In short
- That is a change of −0.4 percentage points from 64.9% in 2024.
- Since 2015, when it was 69.3%, the figure has changed by −4.7 percentage points.
- Among the 181 countries with data for 2025, China has the 67th highest value.
- The figure for the world in 2025 was 60.8%.
More for China
All statistics for China
Women's labour force participation
59.1%
2025 · ILOSTAT
Employment-to-population ratio
61.6%
2025 · ILOSTAT
ILO estimate of the unemployment rate
4.6%
2025 · ILOSTAT
ILO estimate of youth unemployment
15.8%
2025 · ILOSTAT
Employment in agriculture
21.7%
2025 · World Bank
Employment in industry
31.8%
2025 · World Bank