HK's unemployment rate holds steady at 3.8pc in Q4 2025

Hong Kong’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.8 percent in October to December last year compared to the previous period, according to data released by the Census and Statistics Department on Tuesday.

The latest figures showed about 138,200 unemployed people during the period, down by roughly 6,200 from the 144,400 recorded in September–November 2025.

The underemployment rate rose from 1.6 percent in September to November last year to 1.7 percent in October to December, with rises mainly in the transportation and information & communications sectors, while the cleaning and similar activities sector saw a decline.

Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han noted that the labor force and total employment both decreased slightly over the period, while the number of unemployed persons fell further.

Looking forward, he stated that the continued growth of the Hong Kong economy and improved local consumption sentiment should help stabilize the labor market.

“Nonetheless, the employment situations in some sectors may continue to be affected by their challenging business conditions,” he added.