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According to the figures released today (March 20) by the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD), total employment in the private sector surveyed increased by 2.2 % or 61 300 persons in December 2014 compared with a year earlier. The total number of vacancies was 73 530, representing an increase of 2% or 1 150 over the preceding year.
Employment statistics
In December 2014, the selected industries as a whole employed 2 789 200 persons. The import and export trade engaged 494 100 persons, followed by the professional and business services (excluding cleaning and similar services) engaging 278 300 persons, the retail trade 271 600 persons, and the food and beverage services 245 000 persons.
Employment increased in most of the surveyed industries compared with a year earlier. Increases in employment were mainly recorded in the industries of construction sites (manual workers only) (7.8% or 6 200 persons); arts, entertainment, recreation and other services (6.4% or 7 800 persons); education (6.0% or 10 700 persons); human health services (4.6% or 5 000 persons); and food and beverage services (3.3% or 7 800 persons). On the other hand, employment decreased mainly in the industry of manufacturing (-2.1% or -2 200 persons). Employment figures for selected major industries are shown in Table 1.
Vacancies statistics
Among the 73 530 private sector vacancies, 13 830 were from the industry of food and beverage services; 8 710 from the retail trade; 7 270 from the professional and business services (excluding cleaning and similar services); 6 790 from the import and export trade; and 5 750 from the arts, entertainment, recreation and other services.
Vacancies increased in more than half of the selected industries in December 2014 over a year earlier. Increases were mainly observed in the industries of residential care and social work services (820 or 35%); information and communications (670 or 34%); real estate (410 or 12%); retail trade (400 or 5%); and professional and business services (excluding cleaning and similar services) (280 or 4%). Yet, decreases were seen in some industries, mainly in arts, entertainment, recreation and other services (-780 or -12%); transportation, storage, postal and courier services (-510 or -14%); construction sites (manual workers only) (-500 or -37%); and import and export trade (-450 or -6%). 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 (27 110 vacancies); elementary occupations (13 860 vacancies); associate professionals (13 250 vacancies); and clerical support workers (8 360 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 September 2014, the seasonally adjusted total employment and total vacancies in the surveyed industries increased by 0.7% and 6.0% respectively in December 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, December 2014
(www.censtatd.gov.hk/hkstat/sub/sp452.jsp?productCode=B1050003)
Quarterly Report of Employment and Vacancies at Construction Sites, December 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, March 20, 2015
Issued at HKT 16:34
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