******************************************************
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 1.6% or 43 000 persons in September 2012 compared with a year earlier. The total number of vacancies was 69 460, representing an increase of 20% or 11 770 over last year.
Employment statistics
In September 2012, the selected industries as a whole employed 2 661 500 persons. The import and export trade engaged 491 700 persons, followed by the retail trade engaging 259 700 persons, the professional and business services (excluding cleaning and similar services) 257 300 persons, and the food and beverage services 236 200 persons.
Employment increased in most of the surveyed industries compared with a year earlier. Increases in employment were recorded in the industries of construction sites (13.4% or 8 500 persons); accommodation services (covering hotels, guesthouses, boarding houses and other establishments providing short term accommodation) (9.6% or 3 300 persons); information and communications (6.3% or 5 800 persons); human health services (5.7% or 5 500 persons); and real estate (4.7% or 5 600 persons). On the other hand, employment decreased in the industries of manufacturing (-4.3% or -4 700 persons); wholesale (-1.6% or -1 100 persons); and import and export trade (-1.6% or -7 900 persons). Employment figures for selected major industries are shown in Table 1.
Vacancies statistics
Among the 69 460 private sector vacancies, 11 850 were from the industry of food and beverage services; 8 950 from the retail trade; 6 940 from the professional and business services (excluding cleaning and similar services); 6 570 from the import and export trade; and 6 560 from the arts, entertainment, recreation and other services.
Vacancies increased in most of the selected industries in September 2012 over a year earlier. Increases were mainly in the industries of food and beverage services (4 560 or 63%); retail trade (2 810 or 46%); arts, entertainment, recreation and other services (1 860 or 39%); professional and business services (excluding cleaning and similar services) (1 150 or 20%); and transportation, storage, postal and courier services (1 110 or 46%). Yet, decreases were seen mainly in the industries of financing and insurance (-1 250 or -26%); and human health services (-920 or -25%). 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 (22 010 vacancies); associate professionals (15 490 vacancies); elementary occupations (12 280 vacancies); and clerical support workers (9 330 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 2012, the seasonally adjusted total employment and total vacancies in the surveyed industries increased by 0.2% and decreased by 4.6% respectively in September 2012. 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 only manual workers working at major construction sites.
A detailed breakdown of the above statistics is published in the following reports:
Quarterly Report of Employment and Vacancies Statistics, September 2012
(www.censtatd.gov.hk/hkstat/sub/sp452.jsp?productCode=B1050003)
Quarterly Report of Employment and Vacancies at Construction Sites, September 2012
(www.censtatd.gov.hk/hkstat/sub/sp452.jsp?productCode=B1050004)
Users can download these publications free of charge from 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, December 20, 2012
Issued at HKT 16:30
NNNN
