Employment
The majority, or 88.4 per cent, of people employed were in the service sectors: 32 per cent in the import/export, wholesale and retail trades, and accommodation (covering hotels, guesthouses, boarding houses and other establishments providing short-term accommodation) and food services; 25.6 per cent in public administration, and social and personal services; 19.2 per cent in financing and insurance, real estate, and professional and business services; and 11.5 per cent in transportation, storage, postal and courier services, and information and communications. Only 3 per cent worked in the manufacturing sector.
Employment Situation
The labour market showed further improvement in 2012. The overall unemployment rate fell from 3.4 per cent in 2011 to 3.3 per cent in 2012, while the underemployment rate also declined from 1.7 per cent in 2011 to 1.5 per cent in 2012. Total employment rose by about 84,300, from 3,576,400 in 2011 to 3,660,700 in 2012.
Employment Earnings
In 2012, 12.5 per cent of people with jobs earned less than $5,000 a month, while the percentage of people earning $30,000 and above was 16. The median monthly employment earnings rose by $700 from $11,300 in 2011 to $12,000 in 2012. In 2012, the median monthly employment earnings for higher skilled workers such as managers and administrators, professionals and associate professionals, was $23,000, while those with lower skills was $9,000.
Wages
Owing to buoyant demand in the labour market, wage rates as measured by the Nominal Wage Index for workers up to supervisory level increased by 5.1 per cent between December 2011 and December 2012. After discounting changes in consumer prices, wage rates showed an increase of 0.9 per cent in real terms.
Labour Administration and Services
The Labour Department, headed by the Commissioner for Labour, formulates and implements labour policies; enforces labour legislation; provides free employment services to employers and job seekers; promotes harmonious labour relations and responsible trade unionism; safeguards employees' rights and benefits; and promotes the occupational safety, health and welfare of the workforce.
Labour Legislation
The Labour Department administers Hong Kong's labour laws. Labour legislation, supplemented by administrative measures, provides the basis for the enforcement of employers' and employees' rights and obligations, and enables Hong Kong to meet internationally-accepted labour standards.
In 2012, the General Holidays Ordinance and the Employment Ordinance were amended to change the day to be substituted as a general holiday and statutory holiday where any of the first three days of a Lunar New Year, or the day following the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival, fell on a Sunday. The Protection of Wages on Insolvency Ordinance was also amended to expand
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