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Employment and vacancies statistics for March 2014
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     According to the figures released today (June 20) by the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD), total employment in the private sector surveyed increased by 1.9 % or 51 000 persons in March 2014 compared with a year earlier. The total number of vacancies was 77 790, representing a decrease of 3% or 2 380 over the preceding year.

Employment statistics

     In March 2014, the selected industries as a whole employed 2 740 700 persons. The import and export trade engaged 490 800 persons, followed by the professional and business services (excluding cleaning and similar services) engaging 274 600 persons, the retail trade 270 000 persons, and the food and beverage services 240 900 persons.

     Employment increased in most of the surveyed industries compared with a year earlier. Increases in employment were mainly recorded in the industries of accommodation services (covering hotels, guesthouses, boarding houses and other establishments providing short term accommodation) (5.9% or 2 300 persons); arts, entertainment, recreation and other services (5.6% or 6 600 persons); human health services (4.9% or 5 200 persons); information and communications (4.6% or 4 500 persons) and professional and business services (excluding cleaning and similar services) (4.4% or 11 500 persons). On the other hand, employment decreased mainly in the industries of wholesale (-1.0% or -700 persons); import and export trade (-0.9% or -4 400 persons) and residential care and social work services (-0.9% or -500 persons). Employment figures for selected major industries are shown in Table 1.

Vacancies statistics

     Among the 77 790 private sector vacancies, 15 870 were from the industry of food and beverage services; 9 680 from the retail trade; 8 150 from the professional and business services (excluding cleaning and similar services); 7 970 from the import and export trade; and 4 260 from the arts, entertainment, recreation and other services.

     Vacancies increased in most of the selected industries in March 2014 over a year earlier. Increases were mainly in the industries of food and beverage services (1 800 or 13%); professional and business services (excluding cleaning and similar services) (850 or 12%); construction sites (manual workers only) (700 or 75%); manufacturing (600 or 23%) and transportation, storage, postal and courier services (560 or 16%). Yet, decreases were seen mainly in the industries of arts, entertainment, recreation and other services (-2 770 or -39%); and human health services (-2 570 or -64%). 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 and sales workers (30 390 vacancies); elementary occupations (13 730 vacancies); associate professionals (13 720 vacancies); and clerical support workers (8 930 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 December 2013, the seasonally adjusted total employment and total vacancies in the surveyed industries increased by 0.5% and decreased by 7.1% respectively in March 2014. 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 and the Quarterly Employment Survey of Construction Sites 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 manual workers only.

     A detailed breakdown of the above statistics is published in the following reports:

Quarterly Report of Employment and Vacancies Statistics, March 2014
(www.censtatd.gov.hk/hkstat/sub/sp452.jsp?productCode=B1050003)

Quarterly Report of Employment and Vacancies at Construction Sites, March 2014
(www.censtatd.gov.hk/hkstat/sub/sp452.jsp?productCode=B1050004)

     Users can download these publications free of charge from the website of the C&SD.

     Enquiries on more detailed employment and vacancies statistics can be directed to the Employment Statistics and Central Register of Establishments Section, C&SD (Tel: 2582 5076; fax: 2827 2296; email: employment@censtatd.gov.hk).

Ends/Friday, June 20, 2014
Issued at HKT 16:30

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