TNAG-1267-FCO40-1616-Economic-situation-in-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 100

CHAPTER 4: THE LABOUR SECTOR

General developments

4.1

Reflecting the significant recovery of the

export sector, the unemployment and underemployment situation for the labour force as a whole improved. The

(1) seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 3.8% in

the third quarter of 1983, from 4.4% in the second quarter

and 5.1% in the

rate

(3)

first quarter (2). The underemployment

also fell to 1.6% in the third quarter, compared second quarter and 2.5% in the first

with 1.9% in the

quarter of this year.

/ 4.2 Comparing

...

(1) According to the definition used for the General Household Survey, the unemployed population includes all persons aged 15 and over who, during the week prior to enumeration, had no work at all and were seeking work.

(2) The unemployment rate and the number of persons unemployed, based the definitions used for the General Household Survey, are given below:

Unemployment

rate*

Quarter ending

Number of persons unemployed*

(%)

('000)

1982

Mar

3.4

83.4

Jun

3.2

79.4

Sep

3.6

90.9

Dec

3.9

98.7

1983

Mar

5.1

127.3

Jun

4.4

110.9

Sep

3.8

96.8+

Notes: (*) Seasonally adjusted

(+) Provisional estimate

There are, however, signs that the unemployment situation has stabilised during the third quarter.

(3) Underemployment is defined with reference to hours worked. Employed persons who worked less than 35 hours during the week prior to enumeration are considered as underemployed if they were seeking more work, or if they were not seeking more work because they believed more work was not available.

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