Unemployment rate rises to 3.2%

Labour force and total employment declined. 

Hong Kong’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate edged up 0.1 percentage point from November 2024 to January 2025 to 3.2% for the December 2024 to February 2025 period, the Census & Statistics Department reported.

The underemployment rate remained steady at 1.1%.

Total employment fell by 7,100 to 3,709,500, whilst the labour force declined by 5,400 to 3,821,300.

The number of unemployed people increased from 110,100 to 111,700, and the underemployed population dropped from 43,000 to 40,700.

“The labour market should remain largely stable in the near term, although some businesses may be affected by uncertainties from US trade protection measures,” Chris Sun, secretary for Labour & Welfare said.