Hong Kong’s unemployment rate drops to 2.9pc between April and June

Hong Kong’s unemployment rate dropped to 2.9 percent between April and June with some 113,000 unemployed citizens, according to latest data released by the statistics department on Tuesday. 

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased from 3 percent between March and May to 2.9 percent between April and June. The underemployment rate also dropped from 1.2 percent to 1.1 percent in the same period. 

Notable decreases could be observed in the unemployment rates in the retail sector and arts, entertainment and recreation sector when comparing the April-June period with the March-May period. 

As for the underemployment rate, decreases were mainly seen in the foundation and superstructure and retail sectors. 

Total employment increased by around 15,000 to 3.68 million in the April-June period, and the labor force also increased by approximately 15,400 to 3.8 million in the same period. 

The number of unemployed citizens was about 113,600 in the April-June period, about the same as that in the March-May period. 

The number of underemployed citizens decreased by around 2,900 to 41,500 in the April-June period. 

Acting Secretary for Labor and Welfare Ho Kai-ming said, “The labor market continued to improve alongside the local economic recovery … The labor market should improve further in the coming months as the economic recovery gathers further strength.” 

The Labor Department (LD) will organize the Job Fair for Catering, Retail and Hotel Industry & Middle-aged and Elderly Employment at the MacPherson Stadium in Mong Kok on July 20 and 21, during which over 60 employers will participate and offer a large number of vacancies.