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According to the figures released today (December 21) by the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD), total employment in the private sector surveyed decreased by 1.0% or 24 000 persons in September 2009 compared with a year earlier. The total number of vacancies was 38 780, representing a decrease of 19% or 8 980 over last year.
Employment Statistics
In September 2009, the selected industries as a whole employed 2 464 900 persons. The import and export trade engaged 495 000 persons, followed by the retail trade engaging 236 800 persons, the professional and business services (excluding cleaning and similar services) 233 800 persons, and the food and beverage services 208 800 persons.
Employment increased in some of the surveyed industries compared with a year earlier. Increases in employment were recorded in the industries of cleaning and similar services (7.5% or 4 200), education (5.6% or 8 600), human health services (3.9% or 3 400) and residential care and social work services (1.7% or 900). On the other hand, employment decreased in the industries of manufacturing (-5.0% or -6 600), import and export trade (-4.3% or -22 200) and accommodation services (-4.1% or -1 300). Employment figures for selected major industries are shown in Table 1.
Vacancies Statistics
Among the 38 780 private sector vacancies, 6 530 were from the industry of food and beverage services, 4 220 from the professional and business services (excluding cleaning and similar services), 4 220 from the retail trade, 3 820 from the financing and insurance and 3 460 from the import and export trade.
Vacancies decreased in nearly all selected industries in September 2009 over a year earlier. Decreases were mainly in the industries of import and export trade (-2 690 or -44%), arts, entertainment, recreation and other services (-1 510 or -32%), professional and business services (excluding cleaning and similar services) (-1 500 or -26%), retail trade (-1 240 or -23%) and information and communications (-800 or -37%). Yet increase was seen in the food and beverage services (1 700 or 35%). Job vacancies figures for selected major industries are shown in Table 2.
Analysed by major occupation category, private sector vacancies were observed mainly in the categories of service workers and shop sales workers (12 530 vacancies), associate professionals (10 320 vacancies) and elementary occupations (6 020 vacancies). Job vacancies figures by major occupation category are shown in Table 3.
Seasonally Adjusted Statistics
For discerning the latest trend in employment and vacancies in the private sector, it is useful to look at changes over a three-month period in the respective seasonally adjusted figures. Compared with June 2009, the seasonally adjusted total employment and total vacancies in the surveyed sectors increased by 0.8% and 14.6% respectively in September 2009. The changes over three-month period in the seasonally adjusted series of employment and vacancies are shown in Table 4.
Other Information
The above employment and vacancies statistics were obtained from the Quarterly Survey of Employment and Vacancies (SEV) and the Quarterly Employment Survey of Construction Sites (Site Survey) conducted by the C&SD. In the former survey, some economic activities (e.g. those dominated by self-employment, including taxi operators and hawkers) are not covered. Therefore, the respective employment and vacancies figures relate only to those selected industries included in the survey. In the latter survey on construction sites, employment and vacancies figures relate to only manual workers working at major construction sites.
In the above statistics, the classification of industries follows the Hong Kong Standard Industrial Classification (HSIC), which is used in various economic surveys for classifying economic units into different industry classes. Upon the implementation of the new HSIC Version 2.0 by the C&SD in October 2008, the SEV has been enhanced to adopt the new classification in compiling the employment and vacancies statistics. Starting from March 2009, all the employment and vacancies statistics are compiled based on the HSIC Version 2.0.
Detailed breakdowns of the above statistics are published in the September 2009 issue of Quarterly Report of Employment and Vacancies Statistics and Quarterly Report of Employment and Vacancies at Construction Sites. Users can download these publications free of charge from the website of the C&SD at www.censtatd.gov.hk/products_and_services/products/publications/statistical_report/labour/index.jsp.
The series of employment and vacancies statistics under the HSIC Version 2.0 has also been backcasted to March 2004. The revised statistics can be downloaded at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/hong_kong_statistics/statistical_tables/index.jsp?charsetID=1&subjectID=2&tableID=017). Users who are interested in the backcasted series or have enquiries about the survey results may contact the Employment Statistics Section, Census and Statistics Department (Tel.: 2582 5076; Fax: 2827 2296; E-mail: employment@censtatd.gov.hk).
Ends/Monday, December 21, 2009
Issued at HKT 16:34
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