Jiangsu’s job growth in Q1 back to pre-pandemic level

2021-04-26 15:15:00

Jiangsu added 341,500 new jobs in urban areas in the first quarter, a year-on-year growth of 17.14% and back to the pre-COVID-19 growth level, according to the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Human Resources and Social Security.

The registered urban jobless rate declined to 2.93% during the period, which also saw 60,700 entrepreneurs to launch various start-ups that employed 237,000 people, up 61.33% and 60.63% year-on-year respectively.

The stable economic growth has supported the creation of new jobs. Data from the Jiangsu Provincial Bureau of Statistics showed that industrial enterprises above designated size reported the expansion of value added by 48.2% year on year, up 22.9% than in 2019.

Photo taken on March 2, 2021 shows job seekers at a job fair in Nantong. [Photo/CFP]

The province’s public employment service agencies at all levels provided information of over 1.53 million jobs, an increase of 12.21% year-on-year.

The number of college graduates in Jiangsu exceeded 600,000 for the first time. To help them find jobs, Jiangsu has created a comprehensive support system with multiple measures, such as ensuring the job offer in the public sector, holding job fairs frequently and providing guide service to match the demand and supply.

The coastal province also helped 188,000 jobless people to get re-employed in the first quarter and assisted 78,100 people with employment difficulties to find jobs.

An official of the department said job market still faces uncertainties and challenges due to the complex situation of the pandemic and changed environment at home and abroad. Meanwhile, thanks to the new economic development pattern of "dual circulation" in Jiangsu as well as its strong resilience and potential, the province is expected to keep the job market stable in the first half of the year and key economic indicators will also remain stable.