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According to the figures released today (December 22) by the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD), employment increased in most of the surveyed sectors in September 2005 compared with a year earlier. Nevertheless, decreases continued to be recorded for manual workers at construction sites and for persons engaged in the manufacturing sector.
Vacancies increased significantly in most of the selected sectors and the major occupation categories in September 2005 over a year earlier. Significant increases were registered in restaurants, the welfare and community services and the financing and insurance sectors.
Employment Statistics
In September 2005, the selected sectors as a whole employed 2 328 900 persons. Total employment increased by 2.3% or 52 900 persons compared with a year before. The import and export trade engaged 515 600 persons, followed by the retail trade engaging 221 700 persons, the business services sector 206 400 persons, and restaurants 185 900 persons.
Distinct increases in employment were recorded in the recreational and other personal services sector (18.8% or 17 500), hotels and boarding houses (12.2% or 3 100), the real estate sector (5.7% or 5 100), the financing and insurance sector (5.6% or 8 100) and the sanitary and similar services sector (5.6% or 3 100). On the other hand, employment continued to decrease at construction sites (-12.4% or -8 100) and in the manufacturing sector (-1.0% or -1 700). Some decreases were recorded in the welfare and community services sector (-3.9% or -2 500) and the communications sector (-1.2% or -400) in September 2005 compared with a year ago. Employment figures for selected major sectors are shown in Table 1.
Vacancies Statistics
The total number of vacancies in the private sector surveyed was 43 580, representing an increase of 33% or 10 750 in number over last year. Among the private sector vacancies, 7 950 were from the import and export trade, 4 860 from the financing and insurance sector, 4 810 from the retail trade and 4 500 from the business services sector.
Vacancies increased significantly in most of the selected sectors in September 2005 over a year earlier. In particular, remarkable increases were observed in restaurants (79% or 1 590), the welfare and community services sector (72% or 660) and the financing and insurance sector (54% or 1 700). 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 13 290 reported vacancies, service workers and shop sales workers 10 940, and clerks 7 990. 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 in the surveyed sectors decreased by 0.1% in September 2005 while the total vacancies showed a notable increase of 19.7%. 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 Census and Statistics Department. In the former survey, some economic activities (e.g. those dominated by self-employment, including taxi operators, hawkers and freelance authors) 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 working at major construction sites only.
Detailed breakdowns of the above statistics are published in the September 2005 issue of Quarterly Report of Employment and Vacancies Statistics and Quarterly Report of Employment and Vacancies at Construction Sites. The above publications are now on sale at HK$30 and HK$25 per copy respectively. Both print versions and download versions of publications can be purchased online at the "Statistical Bookstore, Hong Kong" (http://www.statisticalbookstore.gov.hk). Download versions of publications can be purchased at 75% of their original prices exclusively at the online Statistical Bookstore. Print versions if purchased online are also offered a discount, at 85% of their original prices at the Statistical Bookstore as well as the Government Bookstore (http://www.isd.gov.hk/eng/bookorder.htm). For purchase of print versions, this can be done through mail order by returning a completed order form which can be downloaded from the C&SD's website (http://www.info.gov.hk/censtatd/eng/prod_serv/forms_index.html). Purchase can also be made in person at the Publications Unit of the C&SD (Address: 19/F, Wanchai Tower, 12 Harbour Road, Wan Chai; Tel.: 2582 3025; Fax: 2827 1708).
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/Thursday, December 22, 2005
Issued at HKT 16:16
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