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The provisional seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for the period February - April 1999 was 6.3 per cent, and the provisional underemployment rate was 2.8 per cent, according to the latest labour force statistics released today (Monday) by the Census and Statistics Department.

For the period January - March 1999, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate and underemployment rate were confirmed to be the same as the previously released provisional figures of 6.2 per cent and 3.0 per cent respectively.

Comparing the period February - April 1999 with January - March 1999, increases in unemployment rate were seen mainly in decoration and maintenance and the wholesale/retail trades, while decreases were seen in the transport and real estate sectors. As to the underemployment rate, decreases were seen in the construction and transport sectors, more than offsetting the increase seen in restaurants.

For the period January - March 1999, the size of the total labour force was 3,439,600, of whom 3,226,300 were employed and 213,300 were unemployed. In the same period, the number of underemployed persons was 104,400. For the period February - April 1999, the size of the total labour force was provisionally estimated at 3,441,000, while the number of unemployed persons and underemployed persons were provisionally estimated at 216,000 and 98,000 respectively.

Mr K Y Tang, the Government Economist, observed that the unemployment rate, though risen further, showed some tapering most recently. While the unemployment rates in several sectors continued to rise, those in some other sectors fell. Concurrently, the underemployment rate, after remaining stable in the early part of this year, tended to decline.

Speaking at a press briefing today, the Secretary for Education and Manpower, Mr Joseph W P Wong, called on the unemployed not to lose heart as there were still vacancies for individual positions.

The Local Employment Services of the Labour Department was able to secure about 12,000 job vacancies in April and over 3,300 persons found jobs through this service during the month. The Interactive Employment Services launched in March continued to gain in popularity, and the cumulative number of web surfers visiting the website has exceeded 190,000.

On the tourism front, total arrivals for April increased by 11 per cent over the same month in 1998. The number of arrivals from our neighbours such as South Korea, Thailand, the Mainland and Japan has shown encouraging increases. At the same time, hotel room occupancy rate improved to 80 per cent from 76 per cent in April 1998.

"A number of major infrastructural projects will commence work in the next few months, creating over 7,000 new jobs," Mr Wong said.

These projects include infrastructural works in Kam Tin, Yuen Long and Tuen Mun in connection with the KCRC West Rail, the Castle Peak Hospital Redevelopment, the Shatin Government Offices Building and the Public Health Laboratory Centre.

To prepare for the increasing demand for construction workers generated by the major infrastructural projects in the next 18 months, the Construction Industry Training Authority (CITA) has increased its training capacity for adult trainees on its full time short courses from 2,314 in the 1997/1998 training year to 4,163 in the 1998/1999 training year.

The employment prospects of the graduates of various short courses have increased alongside with the increase in training places.

Over 90 per cent of the craftsmanship/operative graduates were able to secure employment within three months of their graduation. Over 90 per cent of the bar bending graduates found jobs at a wage of about $600 per day and over 95 per cent of the graduates of the recently introduced Construction Labour Course, requiring only 2 weeks training, were able to secure employment at an average wage of $350 per day.

The CITA plans to further increase its training capacity for short courses by 1,500 places during the 1999/2000 training year.

"The Government will work closely with the Construction Industry Training Authority to train up more local workers to meet the expected demand in the construction sector," Mr Wong noted.

The unemployment and underemployment statistics were obtained from a continuous General Household Survey. The survey for January - March 1999 covered a quarterly sample of some 24,200 households or 80,400 persons, selected in accordance with a scientifically designed sampling scheme to represent the population of Hong Kong. Data on labour force characteristics were obtained from the survey by interviewing each member aged 15 or over in the households sampled.

In the survey, the definitions used in measuring unemployment and underemployment follow closely those recommended by the International Labour Organisation.

The unemployment rate is 'seasonally adjusted'. This refers to the adjustment for seasonal variations in the proportion of first-time job-seekers in the labour force.

Detailed analysis of labour force characteristics is given in the report on the General Household Survey which is published four times a year.

The report covering the quarter ending March 1999 will be on sale at the Government Publications Centre, Ground Floor, Low Block, 66 Queensway, Hong Kong, by end May 1999. Enquiries for more detailed statistics for January - March 1999 can be directed to the General Household Survey Section (2), Census and Statistics Department at 2887 5506.

End/Monday, May 17, 1999

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