According to the figures released today (September 20) by the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD), total employment in the private sector surveyed decreased by 1.3% or 34 100 persons in June 2022 compared with a year earlier. The total number of vacancies was 62 500, representing an increase of 38% or 17 060 over the preceding year.
Employment statistics
In June 2022, the selected industries as a whole employed 2 673 200 persons. The import and export trade engaged 382 500 persons, followed by professional and business services (excluding cleaning and similar services) engaging 297 200 persons, retail trade 244 800 persons, financing and insurance 233 400 persons, and food and beverage services 217 200 persons.
Movements in the employment in different surveyed industries varied when compared with a year earlier. Decreases in employment were mainly recorded in the industries of accommodation services (covering hotels, guesthouses, boarding houses and other establishments providing short term accommodation) (-9.8% or -3 600 persons); manufacturing (-5.3% or -4 300 persons); transportation, storage, postal and courier services (-3.7% or -6 200 persons); professional and business services (excluding cleaning and similar services) (-3.1% or -9 500 persons); and arts, entertainment, recreation and other services (-2.8% or -3 300 persons). On the other hand, employment increased mainly in the industries of wholesale (2.6% or 1 300 persons), human health services (2.2% or 3 300 persons), and food and beverage services (1.0% or 2 200 persons). Employment figures for selected major industries are shown in Table 1.
Vacancies statistics
Among the 62 500 private sector vacancies in June 2022, 7 440 were from the industry of education, 5 890 from professional and business services (excluding cleaning and similar services), 5 860 from human health services, 5 780 from financing and insurance, 4 880 from retail trade, and 4 810 from residential care and social work services.
Vacancies increased in majority of the selected industries in June 2022 over a year earlier. Increases were mainly observed in the industries of human health services (3 700 or 172%), education (2 510 or 51%), food and beverage services (1 470 or 46%), retail trade (1 430 or 41%), and professional and business services (excluding cleaning and similar services) (1 430 or 32%). On the other hand, vacancies decreased in the industries of import and export trade (-350 or -10%), and cleaning and similar services (-210 or -15%). 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 (19 570 vacancies), professionals (12 140 vacancies), and associate professionals (11 700 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 March 2022, the seasonally adjusted total employment and total vacancies in the surveyed industries decreased by 0.3% and increased by 13.7% respectively in June 2022. 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, June 2022"
(www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1050003&scode=452)
"Quarterly Report of Employment and Vacancies at Construction Sites, June 2022" (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1050004&scode=452)
Users can download these publications 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, the C&SD (Tel: 2582 5076; fax: 2827 2296; email: employment@censtatd.gov.hk).
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