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Employment and vacancies statistics for September 2015
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     According to the figures released today (December 18) by the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD), total employment in the private sector surveyed increased by 1.1% or 29 900 persons in September 2015 compared with a year earlier. The total number of vacancies was 74 670, representing a decrease of 1% or 690 over the preceding year.

Employment statistics

     In September 2015, the selected industries as a whole employed 2 794 600 persons. The import and export trade engaged 484 000 persons, followed by the professional and business services (excluding cleaning and similar services) engaging 281 800 persons, the retail trade 268 900 persons, and the food and beverage services 242 800 persons.

     Employment increased in majority of the surveyed industries compared with a year earlier. Increases in employment were mainly recorded in the industries of construction sites (manual workers only) (8.3% or 7 200 persons), human health services (4.7% or 5 300 persons), education (4.1% or 7 600 persons), professional and business services (excluding cleaning and similar services) (2.8% or 7 800 persons), and cleaning and similar services (2.8% or 2 200 persons). On the other hand, employment decreased mainly in the industries of manufacturing (-3.0% or -3 000 persons), wholesale (-1.7% or -1 000 persons), and import and export trade (-1.6% or -7 900 persons). Employment figures for selected major industries are shown in Table 1.

Vacancies statistics

     Among the 74 670 private sector vacancies, 12 890 were from the industry of food and beverage services; 8 350 from the retail trade; 7 030 from the professional and business services (excluding cleaning and similar services); 6 480 from the import and export trade; and 5 970 from the arts, entertainment, recreation and other services.

     Vacancies decreased in some of the selected industries in September 2015 over a year earlier, which offset the increases recorded in the other industries. Decreases were mainly observed in the industries of food and beverage services (-1 160 or -8%), retail trade (-890 or -10%), construction sites (manual workers only) (-820 or -54%), and import and export trade (-720 or -10%). On the other hand, increases in vacancies were mainly seen in the industries of arts, entertainment, recreation and other services (900 or 18%); education (480 or 14%); and cleaning and similar services (300 or 18%). 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 (25 040 vacancies), associate professionals (15 160 vacancies), elementary occupations (14 400 vacancies), and clerical support workers (8 850 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 2015, the seasonally adjusted total employment and total vacancies in the surveyed industries increased by 0.3% and decreased by 0.7% respectively in September 2015. 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, September 2015
(www.censtatd.gov.hk/hkstat/sub/sp452.jsp?productCode=B1050003)

Quarterly Report of Employment and Vacancies at Construction Sites, September 2015
(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, December 18, 2015
Issued at HKT 16:31

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