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According to the figures released today (June 21) by the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD), total employment in the private sector surveyed increased by 2.1% or 55 000 persons in March 2012 compared with a year earlier. The total number of vacancies was 69 970, representing an increase of 22% or 12 780 over last year.
Employment statistics
In March 2012, the selected industries as a whole employed 2 639 700 persons. The import and export trade engaged 493 400 persons, followed by the retail trade engaging 256 800 persons, the professional and business services (excluding cleaning and similar services) 254 000 persons, and the food and beverage services 232 600 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 (20.1% or 11 800 persons); accommodation services (covering hotels, guesthouses, boarding houses and other establishments providing short term accommodation) (10.3% or 3 300 persons); information and communications (6.6% or 5 900 persons); financing and insurance (5.7% or 11 400 persons) and human health services (4.8% or 4 500 persons). On the other hand, employment decreased mainly in the industries of manufacturing (-6.2% or -7 100 persons); and import and export trade (-1.4% or -7 200 persons). Employment figures for selected major industries are shown in Table 1.
Vacancies statistics
Among the 69 970 private sector vacancies, 10 070 were from the industry of food and beverage services; 8 180 from the retail trade; 7 630 from the import and export trade; 7 130 from the professional and business services (excluding cleaning and similar services); and 7 120 from the arts, entertainment, recreation and other services.
Vacancies increased in most of the selected industries in March 2012 over a year earlier. Increases were mainly in the industries of food and beverage services (3 320 or 49%); retail trade (2 150 or 36%); arts, entertainment, recreation and other services (2 130 or 43%); and professional and business services (excluding cleaning and similar services) (920 or 15%). Yet, decrease was seen mainly in the industry of information and communications (-190 or -7%). 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 (21 250 vacancies); associate professionals (17 810 vacancies); elementary occupations (10 870 vacancies); and clerical support workers (9 380 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 December 2011, the seasonally adjusted total employment and total vacancies in the surveyed industries increased by 0.5% and 10.1% respectively in March 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, March 2012
(www.censtatd.gov.hk/products_and_services/products/publications/statistical_report/labour/index_cd_B1050003_dt_detail.jsp)
Quarterly Report of Employment and Vacancies at Construction Sites, March 2012
(www.censtatd.gov.hk/products_and_services/products/publications/statistical_report/labour/index_cd_B1050004_dt_detail.jsp)
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; e-mail: employment@censtatd.gov.hk).
Ends/Thursday, June 21, 2012
Issued at HKT 16:30
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