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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 0.5% or 13 500 persons in March 2016 compared with a year earlier. The total number of vacancies was 70 300, representing a decrease of 10% or 7 770 over the preceding year.
Employment statistics
In March 2016, the selected industries as a whole employed 2 807 200 persons. The import and export trade engaged 481 700 persons, followed by the professional and business services (excluding cleaning and similar services) engaging 283 300 persons, the retail trade 266 200 persons, and the food and beverage services 241 800 persons.
Employment increased in some of the surveyed industries compared with a year earlier. Increases in employment were mainly recorded in the industries of construction sites (manual workers only) (14.1% or 12 900 persons), residential care and social work services (4.3% or 2 600 persons), human health services (4.2% or 4 800 persons), education (2.7% or 5 200 persons), and information and communications (1.6% or 1 700 persons). On the other hand, employment decreased mainly in the industries of accommodation services (covering hotels, guesthouses, boarding houses and other establishments providing short term accommodation) (-3.5% or -1 400 persons), manufacturing (-2.5% or -2 500 persons), retail trade (-1.9% or -5 300 persons), and import and export trade (-1.2% or -6 000 persons). Employment figures for selected major industries are shown in Table 1.
Vacancies statistics
Among the 70 300 private sector vacancies, 11 140 were from the industry of food and beverage services; 7 660 from the retail trade; 7 090 from the professional and business services (excluding cleaning and similar services); 5 710 from the import and export trade; and 5 390 from the arts, entertainment, recreation and other services.
Vacancies decreased in majority of the selected industries in March 2016 over a year earlier. Decreases were mainly observed in the industries of food and beverage services (-2 450 or -18%), import and export trade (-1 910 or -25%), human health services (-1 470 or -47%), and retail trade (-890 or -10%). On the other hand, increases in vacancies were seen in the industries of financing and insurance (530 or 11%), and education (480 or 14%). 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 (23 790 vacancies), elementary occupations (13 790 vacancies), associate professionals (10 960 vacancies), and clerical support workers (8 870 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 2015, the seasonally adjusted total employment and total vacancies in the surveyed industries increased by 0.1% and decreased by 8.7% respectively in March 2016. 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 2016
(www.censtatd.gov.hk/hkstat/sub/sp452.jsp?productCode=B1050003)
Quarterly Report of Employment and Vacancies at Construction Sites, March 2016
(www.censtatd.gov.hk/hkstat/sub/sp452.jsp?productCode=B1050004)
Users can download these publications free of charge at 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/Monday, June 20, 2016
Issued at HKT 16:31
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