According to the figures released today (June 20) by the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD), total employment in the private sector surveyed decreased by 0.4% or 10 200 persons in March 2022 compared with a year earlier. The total number of vacancies was 53 700, representing an increase of 36% or 14 350 over the preceding year.
 
Employment statistics

     In March 2022, the selected industries as a whole employed 2 680 500 persons. The import and export trade engaged 385 600 persons, followed by professional and business services (excluding cleaning and similar services) engaging 302 600 persons, retail trade 245 200 persons, financing and insurance 236 000 persons, education 205 200 persons, and food and beverage services 204 700 persons.
 
     Movements in the employment in different surveyed industries varied when compared with a year earlier. Decreases in employment were mainly recorded in the industries of manufacturing (-6.7% or -5 400 persons); arts, entertainment, recreation and other services (-5.5% or -6 400 persons); construction sites (manual workers only) (-4.3% or -4 400 persons); information and communications (-1.9% or -2 100 persons); and retail trade (-1.9% or -4 700 persons). On the other hand, employment increased mainly in the industries of real estate (4.9% or 6 700 persons), wholesale (4.1% or 2 100 persons), and cleaning and similar services (3.1% or 2 500 persons). Employment figures for selected major industries are shown in Table 1.
 
Vacancies statistics

     Among the 53 700 private sector vacancies in March 2022, 6 010 were from the industry of professional and business services (excluding cleaning and similar services), 5 980 from education, 5 510 from financing and insurance, 5 050 from human health services, and 4 650 from residential care and social work services.
 
     Vacancies increased in majority of the selected industries in March 2022 over a year earlier. Increases were mainly observed in the industries of human health services (2 640 or 110%), education (1 850 or 45%), professional and business services (excluding cleaning and similar services) (1 540 or 35%), and real estate (1 280 or 49%). On the other hand, vacancies decreased in the industries of import and export trade (-450 or -15%), and wholesale (-140 or -31%). 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 (14 880 vacancies), associate professionals (10 210 vacancies), and professionals (10 190 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 2021, the seasonally adjusted total employment and total vacancies in the surveyed industries decreased by 1.0% and 9.4% respectively in March 2022. 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.
 
     The classification of occupation used in analysing vacancies statistics by major occupation category was broadly modelled on the International Standard Classification of Occupations 2008 (ISCO-08) since 2012. The occupation classification scheme has been enhanced by the C&SD to follow the ISCO-08 more closely starting from the reference period of March 2022, with the vacancies statistics based on the revised occupation classification backcasted to the reference period of March 2016 to facilitate comparison.
 
     A detailed breakdown of the above statistics is published in the following reports:

"Quarterly Report of Employment and Vacancies Statistics, March 2022"
(www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1050003&scode=452)

"Quarterly Report of Employment and Vacancies at Construction Sites, March 2022"
(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).

Ends/Monday, June 20, 2022
Issued at HKT 16:30

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