In February, China’s youth unemployment rate rose slightly, according to official data released on March 20. After youth joblessness peaked at 21.3 per cent in June 2023, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) stopped publishing monthly statistics but resumed in December with revised calculation criteria. Data from February reveals that the unemployment rate for 16- to 24-year-olds, now excluding students, increased to 15.3 per cent from 14.6 per cent in January. In December 2023, the youth unemployment rate was 14.9 per cent. With China’s economy struggling to bounce back after stringent Covid-19 control measures ended in late 2022, unemployment now adds to its existing challenges. A lingering crisis in the property sector, escalating debt among leading developers, declining exports, and slowing domestic consumption have also damaged confidence in the recent months.

Although it is not universally applicable, finding ways to deal with unemployment and economic challenges varies from country to country. As illustrated by the state of California, in tackling unemployment concerns, they have the Employment Development Department (EDD) to assist citizens. If you are looking for information on how to contact EDD, options are available. One of the quickest ways is to go to eddcaller.com. The website provides a phone number that is available daily. It’s important to note that due to high call volumes, immediate connection may not always be possible, but persistence can often yield results.