BEIJING, April 22 (Xinhua) -- China will extend key unemployment insurance policies through 2025 to help companies retain jobs and support workers in enhancing their skills, authorities announced Tuesday.

The announcement was made through a circular, jointly issued by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, the Ministry of Finance, and the State Taxation Administration, outlining measures to help enterprises maintain stable employment.

Until the end of 2025, companies that do not lay off employees or minimize layoffs will continue to receive refunds of a certain percentage of unemployment insurance premiums paid in the previous year, according to the policy.

To help workers improve their skills, the extended policy relaxes eligibility requirements and expands coverage for skills-upgrading subsidies.

These measures also ensure continued provision of basic living allowances -- including unemployment benefits, basic medical insurance coverage, and support for older unemployed individuals.

China has set a target of maintaining the surveyed urban unemployment rate at around 5.5 percent in 2025, while aiming to create over 12 million new urban jobs this year. The average surveyed urban unemployment rate stood at 5.3 percent in the first quarter of 2025.