Employment and vacancies statistics for December 2019
According to the figures released today (April 3) by the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD), total employment in the private sector surveyed decreased by 2.1% or 59 300 persons in December 2019 compared with a year earlier. The total number of vacancies was 54 430, representing a decrease of 30% or 23 760 over the preceding year.
Employment statistics
In December 2019, the selected industries as a whole employed 2 820 000 persons. The import and export trade engaged 439 100 persons, followed by professional and business services (excluding cleaning and similar services) engaging 306 600 persons, retail trade 261 100 persons, financing and insurance 238 500 persons, and food and beverage services 234 500 persons.
Employment decreased in half of the surveyed industries compared with a year earlier. Decreases in employment were mainly recorded in the industries of import and export trade (-7.5% or -35 700 persons), food and beverage services (-7.0% or -17 500 persons), wholesale (-5.6% or -3 400 persons), manufacturing (-5.2% or -4 700 persons), and retail trade (-4.8% or -13 000 persons). On the other hand, employment increased mainly in the industries of human health services (5.3% or 7 000 persons), residential care and social work services (4.1% or 2 600 persons), and financing and insurance (2.2% or 5 000 persons). Employment figures for selected major industries are shown in Table 1.
Vacancies statistics
Among the 54 430 private sector vacancies, 6 110 were from the industry of professional and business services (excluding cleaning and similar services), 6 030 from financing and insurance, 4 870 from retail trade, 4 420 from residential care and social work services, 4 170 from education, and 4 030 from import and export trade.
Vacancies decreased in majority of the selected industries in December 2019 over a year earlier. Decreases were mainly observed in the industries of food and beverage services (-7 850 or -67%); retail trade (-3 900 or -45%); arts, entertainment, recreation and other services (-2 370 or -42%); import and export trade (-1 800 or -31%); and professional and business services (excluding cleaning and similar services) (-1 740 or -22%). On the other hand, vacancies increased mainly in the industries of human health services (260 or 9%), and residential care and social work services (70 or 2%). 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 associate professionals (12 850 vacancies), service and sales workers (12 250 vacancies), and elementary occupations (10 930 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 September 2019, the seasonally adjusted total employment and total vacancies in the surveyed industries decreased by 0.6% and 13.2% respectively in December 2019. 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, December 2019"
(www.censtatd.gov.hk/hkstat/sub/sp452.jsp?productCode=B1050003)
"Quarterly Report of Employment and Vacancies at Construction Sites, December 2019"
(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).