Total employment slipped 4.7% in December

Approximately 2.68 million people were employed in December.

Employment in the private sector slipped by 4.7% in December 2020, according to latest data from the Sensus and Statistics Department.

As of December, 687,900 people were employed, less 132,100 from the same month in 2019. Broken down, 388,300 people were employed in import and export trade, 306,600 in professional and business services, 250,300 in retail, 238,700 in financing and insurance, 204,800 in education, and 202,700 in food and beverage.

Decreased in employment was mainly recorded in the industries of accomodation services (-19.1%); food and beverage (-13.6%); import and export trade (-11.6%); wholesale (-10.1%); and transportation, storage, postal, and courrier services (-7.5%). Employment in human health services, cleaning, and real estate slightly increased by 3.4%, 1.2% and 1.2%, respectively.

Vacancies also decreased in December, particularly in the professional and business service (-42%); arts, entertainment, recreation and other services (-67%); food and beverage (-52%); retail trade (40%); and import and export trade (39%) industries.

Of the 35,060 job vacancies recorded in the private sector, 4730 was in financing and insurance, 3,800 was in education, 3,600 was in residential care and social work, 3,570 was in professional and business services, and 2,910 was in retail trade.

These vacancies, based on major occupation category, can be broken down into 9,120 for associate profesionals, 7,580 in service and sales workers, and 6,720 in elementary occupations.