The impact of low-carbon city pilot policies under the dual carbon goals on labor employment were explored. Utilizing data from 283 Chinese cities from 2001 to 2021, propensity score matching and progressive difference-in-differences methods were applied to analyze the comprehensive impact of low-carbon transition on employment. The findings indicate that while low-carbon transition does not significantly affect employment in the primary industry, it notably enhances overall employment, and the employment in the secondary and tertiary industries. Furthermore, it reveals that China's economic and environmental relationship is in the first half of the EKC curve, with a high carbon emission-employment elasticity. Suggestions that low-carbon transition presents both opportunities and challenges in the labor market are put forward. Therefore, it is recommended to actively promote industrial transformation and upgrading, strengthen technological innovation and application, balance economic development with environmental protection, and enhance the adaptability and protection mechanisms of the labor market.