Unemployment rate remains at 2.8% in July-September

The underemployment rate was the same at 1%.

Hong Kong reported a low seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in the third quarter, remaining at 2.8% in the period of July-September 2023, the same in the June-August period.

Data from the Census and Statistics Department also showed that the underemployment rate remained unchanged at 1% at the same period.

The department said the changes in the unemployment rate, not seasonally adjusted, and underemployment rate during the June-August and July-September in different industry sectors varied, “but the magnitudes were generally not large.”

Meanwhile, the number of unemployed persons, not seasonally adjusted, rose by around 1,900 to 114,000 in July-September, whilst the underemployed declined by around 1,000 to 37,900.

Meanwhile, total employment rose by around 5,800 to 3.72 million, whilst the labour force grew by around 7,700 to around 3.83 million.

"The continued growth of consumption- and tourism-related activities would continue to support the labour market," said Chris Sun, secretary for Labour and Welfare said.