Hong Kong’s unemployment rate stood at 3 percent from April through June, the same as from March to May, as the city’s ongoing economic development continued to drive demand for workers.
A total of 114,700 people were out of work — a decrease of around 1,500 from the previous three-month period. With the city’s labor force having grown by about 4,900 to 3.8 million, the number of those employed increased by 6,400, according to data released by the Census and Statistics Department on Thursday.
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The underemployment rate also remained unchanged at 1.2 percent in the two periods, and there was no significant change in the number of underemployed persons.
Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han said that, during the two periods, changes in the unemployment rate and underemployment rate varied across different industries, but the magnitudes were generally not large.
“The labor market should remain tight in the near term, alongside the ongoing economic growth,” Sun said.
From April to June, the Labour Department reported an average of 72,512 job vacancies per month in the private sector, showing a year-on-year decline of 28.5 percent and a decrease of 6.7 percent compared with the average figures recorded from March to May.
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To help bring job seekers and employers together, the Labour Department will hold the Re-employment Allowance Pilot Scheme Job Fair at the MacPherson Stadium in Mong Kok on July 30 and 31. More than 50 employers are expected to participate, offering a large number of job openings.
