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Employment

The majority, or 88.9 per cent, were employed in the service sectors: 29.3 per cent in public administration, and social and personal services; 26.2 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; 22.6 per cent in financing and insurance, real estate, and professional and business services; and 10.9 per cent in transportation, storage, postal and courier services, and information and communications. Only 2.3 per cent worked in manufacturing.

The overall unemployment rate rose from 2.9 per cent in 2019 to 5.8 per cent in 2020, whereas the underemployment rate rose from 1.1 per cent in 2019 to 3.3 per cent in 2020. Total employment dropped by about 188,300 to 3,661,600.

Employment Earnings and Wages

During the year, 12.1 per cent of employed people earned less than $5,000 a month and 26.6 per cent earned $30,000 and above a month. Median monthly employment earnings rose by $600 to $17,700 from $17,100 in 2019. The median monthly employment earnings for higher- skilled workers, such as managers and administrators, professionals and associate professionals, were $30,000 in 2020, while those for lower-skilled workers were $13,000.

Wage rates as measured by the Nominal Wage Index for workers up to supervisory level increased 1 per cent in December 2020 over a year earlier.

International Labour Affairs

Hong Kong applies 31 international labour conventions of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) through comprehensive legislative and administrative measures.

Hong Kong also takes part in ILO activities to keep abreast of international labour issues.

Labour Advisory Board

The Labour Advisory Board, a representative tripartite consultative body, advises the Commissioner for Labour on labour matters including legislation and ILO conventions and recommendations. Chaired by the commissioner, it has six members representing employers and six representing employees.

Employment Services

The Labour Department provides free employment and recruitment services to job-seekers and employers through 13 job centres, three recruitment centres for the catering, retail and construction industries, a Telephone Employment Service Centre and a Job Vacancy Processing Centre. Round-the-clock employment services are available through the Interactive Employment Service website and mobile application.

The department organises large-scale, district-based and thematic job fairs. It offers targeted help through the Employment Programme for the Elderly and Middle-aged, Work Trial Scheme, Racial Diversity Employment Programme, Work Orientation and Placement Scheme for job-

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