For the three months from March to May, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.5%, a rise of 0.1 percentage points compared to the figures for February to April, the Census & Statistics Department announced today.
The underemployment rate also rose, from 1.3% to 1.4%, during the same period.
Total employment fell by around 12,400 to 3,664,700, while the labour force dropped by around 6,000 to 3,800,500.
The number of unemployed people increased by around 6,400 to 135,800. Meanwhile, the number of underemployed people rose by around 6,000 to 53,600.
Looking ahead, Secretary for Labour & Welfare Chris Sun said the pace of job creation will continue to be affected by the evolution of different industries against the backdrop of an uncertain external environment and the changing consumption patterns of both locals and visitors.
The entry of fresh graduates and school leavers onto the labour market in the coming few months may further impact the overall employment situation, he added.
He stressed, however, that he was delighted to see the economy steadily expanding, with real GDP forecast to grow by 2% to 3% this year. He also highlighted the injection of new impetus from local and non-local operators, with numbers of registered local and foreign companies reaching new heights in recent months.
The labour chief said these positive developments should render support to the labour market and sustain the momentum of Hong Kong’s economic development.
