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According to the figures released today (March 25) by the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD), total employment in the private sector surveyed increased by 2.1% or 50 600 persons in December 2007 compared with a year earlier. The total number of vacancies was 48 070, representing an increase of 25% or 9 490 over last year.
Employment Statistics
In December 2007, the selected sectors as a whole employed 2 455 900 persons. The import and export trade engaged 521 000 persons, followed by the retail trade engaging 236 800 persons, the business services sector 233 200 persons and restaurants 207 100 persons.
Employment increased in most of the surveyed sectors compared with a year earlier. Increases in employment were recorded in the financing and insurance sector (7.2% or 12 100), the medical, health and related services sector (6.1% or 5 000), the real estate (5.4% or 5 300), hotels and boarding houses (4.0% or 1 200) and the business services sector (3.7% or 8 400). On the other hand, employment decreased in the sanitary and similar services sector (-3.9% or -2 400), the manufacturing sector (-2.0% or -3 300) and at construction sites (-1.8% or -900). Employment figures for selected major sectors are shown in Table 1.
Vacancies Statistics
Among the 48 070 private sector vacancies, 7 340 were from the import and export trade, 5 590 from the business services sector, 5 540 from the recreational and other personal services sector, 4 790 from restaurants, and 4 510 from the financing and insurance sector.
Vacancies increased in nearly all selected sectors in December 2007 over a year earlier. Increases were mainly from the recreational and other personal services sector (1 650 or 42%), restaurants (1 640 or 52%), the business services sector (1 200 or 27%), the import and export trade (1 170 or 19%) and the financing and insurance sector (910 or 25%). Job vacancies figures for selected major sectors are shown in Table 2.
Analysed by major occupation category, private sector vacancies were observed mainly for associate professionals with 13 490 reported ones, service workers and shop sales workers 11 210 and clerks 9 670. 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 the quarterly changes in the respective seasonally adjusted figures. Compared with the previous quarter, the seasonally adjusted total employment and total vacancies in the private sector increased by 0.5% and 8.7% respectively in December 2007. The quarter-to-quarter changes 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 (SEV) and the Quarterly Employment Survey of Construction Sites (Site Survey) 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.
Detailed breakdowns of the above statistics are published in the December 2007 issue of Quarterly Report of Employment and Vacancies Statistics and Quarterly Report of Employment and Vacancies at Construction Sites. Users can download these publications free of charge at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/products_and_services/products/publications/index.jsp). Print versions of these publications are available for sale at HK$33 and HK$28 per issue respectively. Purchase can be done in person at the Publications Unit of the C&SD (Address: 19/F Wanchai Tower, 12 Harbour Road, Wan Chai; Tel: 2582 3025) or through mail order by returning a completed order form which can be downloaded from the C&SD's website (www.censtatd.gov.hk/products_and_services/other_services/provision_of_stat/mail_ordering_of_publications/index.jsp). Print versions of these publications are also available for sale online at the Government Bookstore of the Information Services Department (www.bookstore.gov.hk).
Enquiries on more detailed employment and vacancies statistics can be directed to the Employment Statistics Section, Census and Statistics Department (Tel: 2582 5076; Fax: 2827 2296; E-mail: employment@censtatd.gov.hk).
Ends/Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Issued at HKT 16:16
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