BEIJING -- China's urban registered unemployment rate stood at 4.1 percent at the end of September, the same level as at the end of the second quarter of 2012, according to figures revealed by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security on Thursday.

This was lower than the officially set ceiling of 4.6 percent this year.

China created 10.24 million new jobs in urban areas in the first nine months, exceeding the annual target of 9 million for this year, MOHRSS spokesman Yin Chengji said at a press conference in Beijing.

A total of 4.32 million laid-off workers got re-employed in urban areas during the January-September period, meeting 86 percent of the annual target to have 5 million unemployed workers move back into jobs, Yin said.

He added that the ministry will continue to prioritize boosting employment and unveil more supportive measures for labor-intensive sectors and small and medium-sized enterprises, major forces in creating jobs.