Employment and vacancies statistics for December 2023
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Employment statistics
In December 2023, the selected industries as a whole employed 2 722 800 persons. The import and export trade engaged 362 600 persons, followed by professional and business services (excluding cleaning and similar services) engaging 310 400 persons, retail trade 245 700 persons, financing and insurance 231 700 persons, and food and beverage services 224 500 persons.
Employment increased in many surveyed industries when compared with a year earlier. Increases were mainly observed in the industries of construction sites (manual workers only) (12.0% or 12 900 persons), arts, entertainment, recreation and other services (5.1% or 5 900 persons), residential care and social work services (5.0% or 3 400 persons), and education (3.5% or 7 500 persons). On the other hand, employment decreased mainly in the industries of wholesale (-6.2% or -3 200 persons), and import and export trade (-4.6% or -17 400 persons). Employment figures for selected major industries are shown in Table 1.
Vacancies statistics
Among the 73 070 private sector vacancies in December 2023, 7 920 were from the industry of education, 6 410 from human health services, 6 150 from professional and business services (excluding cleaning and similar services), 6 100 from food and beverage services, and 5 500 from residential care and social work services.
Movements in the vacancies in different surveyed industries varied when compared with a year earlier. Decreases in vacancies were mainly recorded in the industries of transportation, storage, postal and courier services (-2 020 or -27%), import and export trade (-890 or -25%), financing and insurance (-760 or -12%), and retail trade (-590 or -10%). On the other hand, vacancies increased mainly in the industries of construction sites (manual workers only) (1 860 or 347%), and arts, entertainment, recreation and other services (780 or 17%). 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 (26 200 vacancies), professionals (12 760 vacancies), and associate professionals (10 440 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 September 2023, the seasonally adjusted total employment and total vacancies in the surveyed industries decreased by 0.7% and 2.7% respectively in December 2023. 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.
A detailed breakdown of the above statistics is published in the following reports:
"Quarterly Report of Employment and Vacancies Statistics, December 2023"
(www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1050003&scode=452)
"Quarterly Report of Employment and Vacancies at Construction Sites, December 2023"
(www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1050004&scode=452)
Users can browse and 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 of the C&SD (Tel: 2582 5076 or email: employment@censtatd.gov.hk).
Ends/Thursday, March 21, 2024
Issued at HKT 16:30
Issued at HKT 16:30
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