Employment and vacancies statistics for March 2018
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Employment statistics
In March 2018, the selected industries as a whole employed 2 867 400 persons. The import and export trade engaged 478 000 persons, followed by the professional and business services (excluding cleaning and similar services) engaging 300 200 persons, the retail trade 271 000 persons, and the food and beverage services 246 600 persons.
Employment increased in many surveyed industries compared with a year earlier. Increases in employment were mainly recorded in the industries of human health services (3.3% or 4 000 persons), accommodation services (covering hotels, guesthouses, boarding houses and other establishments providing short-term accommodation) (3.1% or 1 200 persons), professional and business services (excluding cleaning and similar services) (2.7% or 7 900 persons), construction sites (manual workers only) (2.6% or 3 100 persons), and financing and insurance (2.5% or 5 700 persons). On the other hand, employment decreased mainly in the industries of manufacturing (-3.9% or -3 600 persons), and cleaning and similar services (-1.5% or -1 200 persons). Employment figures for selected major industries are shown in Table 1.
Vacancies statistics
Among the 76 880 private sector vacancies, 12 030 were from the industry of food and beverage services, 8 110 from retail trade, 7 670 from professional and business services (excluding cleaning and similar services), 6 290 from import and export trade, and 6 090 from financing and insurance.
Vacancies increased in majority of the selected industries in March 2018 over a year earlier. Increases were mainly observed in the industries of human health services (1 640 or 99%), professional and business services (excluding cleaning and similar services) (750 or 11%), financing and insurance (710 or 13%), and retail trade (570 or 8%). On the other hand, vacancies decreased mainly in the industry of cleaning and similar services (-190 or -9%). 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 (23 740 vacancies), associate professionals (14 670 vacancies), elementary occupations (13 870 vacancies), and clerical support workers (9 190 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 2017, the seasonally adjusted total employment and total vacancies in the surveyed industries increased by 0.4% and 0.1% respectively in March 2018. The changes over three-month periods 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 2018"
(www.censtatd.gov.hk/hkstat/sub/sp452.jsp?productCode=B1050003)
"Quarterly Report of Employment and Vacancies at Construction Sites, March 2018"
(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/Thursday, June 21, 2018
Issued at HKT 16:30
Issued at HKT 16:30
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