48
EMPLOYMENT
Unemployment. Although the 1961 census reported some 16,000 persons as unemployed the extent of unemployment or under- employment in Hong Kong remains indeterminate, as compre- hensive statistics on employment are not available. It is possible that some of those reported to be unemployed receive a fluctuating income from casual or indirect employment, since employers fre- quently report difficulty in recruiting labour despite better facilities and, in many cases, better wages. While there were fluctuations in employment in some industries, reduced employment in one sector tended to be offset by increased employment in another. Changes of this kind do not necessarily imply any lengthy period of un- employment for individual workers, since the majority of semi- skilled and unskilled workers are adaptable and can move from one industry to another similar industry.
Migration for employment. As many countries maintain strict control over the entry of Chinese, the scope for employment of Hong Kong Chinese overseas is comparatively limited. The prin- cipal sources of overseas employment are Sabah (formerly North Borneo), Brunei and Sarawak, where skilled and semi-skilled workers are in great demand in the construction industry and the oil fields. Another outlet is in Nauru and Ocean Islands for_which the British Phosphate Commissioners continue to recruit Hong Kong workers, and an Australian construction company also re- cruited building labour for a workers' housing project. Singapore continued to attract more fishermen and a number of enamel workers went to Thailand, Africa and Pakistan. Chinese-style restaurants in Britain and other countries provided employment for many waiters and cooks at attractive wages. Except for British subjects taking up employment in Britain, all emigrant manual workers held contracts of service drawn up in accordance with international labour conventions and approved by the Labour Department. Before their departure, emigrant workers have the terms of their contracts explained to them. During 1963 1,638 such contracts were approved, compared with 1,514 in 1962.
Under the Commonwealth Immigrants Act, which came into force on 1st July 1962, a Hong Kong Chinese or a Commonwealth citizen able to claim British nationality by birth who wishes to go to Britain to work must, if he has not found a prospective employer