Latest unemployment and underemployment statistics
The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for the period December 1995 - February 1996 was 3.1%, and the underemployment rate was 2.2%, according to the latest labour force statistics released today (Friday) by the Census and Statistics Department.
The provisional seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for the period January March 1996 was marginally higher, at 3.2%, while the provisional underemployment rate continued to edge lower to 2.0%.
Commenting on the recent labour market situation, a Government spokesman observed that the growth in both total labour supply and total employment accelerated, to 5.3% and 4.6% respectively in the three months ending February 1996 over a year earlier. The increase in total labour supply was the fastest ever recorded since the General Household Survey was first launched in August 1981, while the increase in total employment was amongst the fastest ever recorded from that survey. But as employment was still not catching up with the corresponding labour supply, the unemployment rate thus remained high.
During the period December 1995 - February 1996, the number of unemployed persons with previous jobs was estimated at 86,100. Another 6,700 unemployed persons were first-time job-seekers. The number of underemployed persons was estimated at 69,400.
The unemployment and underemployment statistics were obtained from a continuous General Household Survey. The survey for December 1995 - February 1996 covered a quarterly sample of some 18,000 households or 61,000 persons, selected scientifically to represent the land-based civilian non-institutional population in Hong Kong. Data were obtained from the survey by interviewing each member aged 15 or over in the households sampled.
In the survey, the definitions used in measuring unemployment and underemployment follow closely those recommended by the International Labour Organisation.
'Seasonally adjusted' refers to adjustment for seasonal variations in the proportion of first-time job-seekers in the labour force.
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