Chapter 7
Employment
The government promotes employment, maintains harmonious labour relations, safeguards the labour rights of employees and enhances safety and health at work.
Employment is the key to people's livelihood. The government improves the use of human resources in Hong Kong and supports further economic development by upgrading workers' skills so they can be more employable and competitive, improving the business environment, introducing measures to create jobs and enhancing labour market efficiency.
In 2016, the statutory Employees Retraining Board offered 130,000 training places to upgrade the skills of in-service workers, and to help the unemployed and those seeking job changes re- enter the labour market. The Labour Department offers special help to less competitive workers, through employment initiatives that include the Employment Programme for the Middle-aged, Work Trial Scheme, Youth Employment and Training Programme, Youth Employment Start, Work Orientation and Placement Scheme for job-seekers with disabilities, and job fairs.
Labour Market
In 2016, the labour force totalled 3.92 million people, of whom 51 per cent were men and 49 per cent were women. The total represented a rise of 0.4 per cent over 2015.
The majority, or 88.3 per cent, were employed in the service sectors: 30.2 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; 26.8 per cent in public administration, and social and personal services; 20.2 per cent in financing and insurance, real estate, and professional and business services; and 11.2 per cent in transport, storage, postal and courier services, and information and communications. Only 2.6 per cent worked in manufacturing.
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