According to the figures released today (December 20) by the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD), total employment in the private sector surveyed increased by 0.3% or 8 600 persons in September 2021 compared with a year earlier. The total number of vacancies was 54 560, representing an increase of 40% or 15 650 over the preceding year.
Employment statistics
In September 2021, the selected industries as a whole employed 2 715 500 persons. The import and export trade engaged 385 300 persons, followed by professional and business services (excluding cleaning and similar services) engaging 306 600 persons, retail trade 248 500 persons, financing and insurance 240 100 persons, and food and beverage services 217 600 persons.
Movements in the employment in different surveyed industries varied when compared with a year earlier. Increases in employment were mainly recorded in the industries of construction sites (manual workers only) (13.2% or 12 400 persons), food and beverage services (5.2% or 10 700 persons), accommodation services (covering hotels, guesthouses, boarding houses and other establishments providing short term accommodation) (5.0% or 1 800 persons), and real estate (4.3% or 6 000 persons). On the other hand, employment decreased mainly in the industries of manufacturing (-5.9% or -4 900 persons); transportation, storage, postal and courier services (-4.4% or -7 800 persons); and wholesale (-4.1% or -2 100 persons). Employment figures for selected major industries are shown in Table 1.
Vacancies statistics
Among the 54 560 private sector vacancies in September 2021, 5 790 were from the industry of education, 5 530 from financing and insurance, 5 390 from professional and business services (excluding cleaning and similar services), 4 840 from human health services, and 4 710 from retail trade.
Vacancies increased in all the selected industries in September 2021 over a year earlier. Increases were more notable in the industries of human health services (2 580 or 114%), food and beverage services (1 910 or 77%), education (1 860 or 47%), retail trade (1 570 or 50%), and professional and business services (excluding cleaning and similar services) (1 420 or 36%). 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 (14 960 vacancies), service and sales workers (12 620 vacancies), and elementary occupations (9 400 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 2021, the seasonally adjusted total employment and total vacancies in the surveyed industries increased by 0.2% and 20.1% respectively in September 2021. 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, September 2021"
(www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1050003&scode=452)
"Quarterly Report of Employment and Vacancies at Construction Sites, September 2021"
(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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