Key facts
- China's blue-collar labor market is experiencing a slowdown, with growth in ride-hailing, trucking, and livestreaming jobs declining.
- Total blue-collar employment grew slightly to 427 million in 2025, but at a significantly slower pace.
- Domestic work remains the largest blue-collar occupation, but its growth rate plummeted.
- Average monthly income for blue-collar workers increased to 6,230 yuan, narrowing the gap with white-collar workers.
- A tiered income system has emerged within the blue-collar workforce, with maternity nannies and food-delivery riders earning the most.
- Competition is shifting towards skills and reputation, with star-rating systems influencing earnings.
- Flexible workers account for over 40% of urban employment, but face limited career advancement and retirement planning confidence.
- Traditional blue-collar workers, such as migrant workers, face longer wage-settlement cycles and fewer protections.
China's blue-collar labor market is experiencing a significant shakeout, with growth in once-booming gig economy jobs like ride-hailing, trucking, and livestreaming slowing or declining. The total number of blue-collar workers reached approximately 427 million in 2025, a slight increase from 425 million in 2024, but the growth rate has sharply decelerated.
Specific occupational shifts are notable. Domestic work, the largest blue-collar occupation, saw its growth rate plummet from over 28% in 2024 to 4% in 2025. Ride-hailing drivers, truck drivers, and livestreamers, previously experiencing strong growth, saw their numbers decline by 2% to 3%. Food-delivery riders and parcel couriers still grew, but at much slower rates of 6% and 3% respectively, down from over 13%.
These changes reflect intense competition and market saturation. Aggressive hiring in food delivery contrasted with oversupply in ride-hailing, prompting warnings from transport authorities. The basis of competition is shifting from sheer hours worked to skills and reputation, with platform star-rating systems increasingly influencing order allocation and earnings.
Average monthly income for blue-collar workers rose to 6,230 yuan, narrowing the gap with white-collar workers. However, three distinct income tiers have emerged within the blue-collar workforce: high-income earners like maternity nannies and food-delivery riders, middle-income groups including ride-hailing drivers and parcel couriers, and a basic-income group comprising security and sanitation workers. Food-delivery riders have seen significant income growth, while ride-hailing drivers' earnings have declined.
The number of flexible workers in China reached about 280 million in 2025, projected to hit 320 million in 2026, forming a major pillar of urban employment. While platform-based work offers some stability, development prospects, including retirement planning and career advancement, remain limited for many. Traditional blue-collar jobs, such as those in manufacturing and construction, continue to lag in income, working hours, and protections, with a high incidence of wage arrears and insufficient work-injury insurance.