Hong Kong’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate edged down to 3.7% in the three months ending March 2026 from 3.8% in the previous month, marking the lowest reading since August 2025. The number of unemployed persons increased by 1,900 month-on-month to 136,600, while total employment declined by 7,300 to 3.66 million. The youth unemployment rate, for those aged 20 to 29, remained steady at 6.9%, unchanged from February. The underemployment rate ticked lower to 1.6% from 1.7%, and the labour force participation rate also decreased to 56.4% from 56.5%. According to Mr. Chris Sun, the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, “The sustained growth of the Hong Kong economy should underpin the overall labour market. The Government will continue to closely monitor developments in geopolitical tensions and assess the potential implications for the labour market.”. source: Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong

Unemployment Rate in Hong Kong decreased to 3.70 percent in March from 3.80 percent in February of 2026. Unemployment Rate in Hong Kong averaged 3.71 percent from 1981 until 2026, reaching an all time high of 8.50 percent in June of 2003 and a record low of 1.00 percent in July of 1989. This page provides the latest reported value for - Hong Kong Unemployment Rate - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news. Hong Kong Unemployment Rate - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on May of 2026.

Unemployment Rate in Hong Kong decreased to 3.70 percent in March from 3.80 percent in February of 2026. Unemployment Rate in Hong Kong is expected to be 3.70 percent by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. In the long-term, the Hong Kong Unemployment Rate is projected to trend around 3.50 percent in 2027 and 3.40 percent in 2028, according to our econometric models.



Calendar GMT Reference Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2026-03-18 08:30 AM
Unemployment Rate
Feb 3.8% 3.9% 3.9%
2026-04-23 08:30 AM
Unemployment Rate
Mar 3.7% 3.8% 3.8%
2026-05-19 08:30 AM
Unemployment Rate
Apr 3.7%


Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Employed Persons 3655.70 3663.00 Thousand Mar 2026
Job Vacancies 46003.00 51452.00 Dec 2025
Labor Force Participation Rate 56.40 56.50 percent Mar 2026
Population 7.51 7.50 Million Dec 2025
Productivity 113.50 111.30 points Dec 2024
Unemployed Persons 136.60 134.70 Thousand Mar 2026
Unemployment Rate 3.70 3.80 percent Mar 2026
Wages 19683.00 19565.00 HKD/Month Dec 2025
Wages in Manufacturing 18629.00 18565.00 HKD/Month Dec 2025
Youth Unemployment Rate 6.90 6.90 percent Mar 2026


Hong Kong Unemployment Rate
In Hong Kong, the unemployment rate measures the number of people actively looking for a job as a percentage of the labour force.
Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
3.70 3.80 8.50 1.00 1981 - 2026 percent Monthly
SA

News Stream
Hong Kong Unemployment Rate at 7-Month Low
Hong Kong’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate edged down to 3.7% in the three months ending March 2026 from 3.8% in the previous month, marking the lowest reading since August 2025. The number of unemployed persons increased by 1,900 month-on-month to 136,600, while total employment declined by 7,300 to 3.66 million. The youth unemployment rate, for those aged 20 to 29, remained steady at 6.9%, unchanged from February. The underemployment rate ticked lower to 1.6% from 1.7%, and the labour force participation rate also decreased to 56.4% from 56.5%. According to Mr. Chris Sun, the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, “The sustained growth of the Hong Kong economy should underpin the overall labour market. The Government will continue to closely monitor developments in geopolitical tensions and assess the potential implications for the labour market.”
2026-04-23
Hong Kong Unemployment Rate Edges Lower
Hong Kong's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate edged down to 3.8% in the three months ending February 2026, from a 2022-high of 3.9% in the previous period. The number of unemployed persons declined by 3,700 to 134,700, while total employment decreased by 2,900 to 3.66 million. The youth unemployment rate, for those aged 20 to 29, also ticked lower to 6.9% from 7% in the three months ending January, marking its lowest level since June 2025. The underemployment rate remained steady at 1.7%, and the labour force participation rate fell slightly to 56.5% from 56.7%. Looking ahead, the sustained growth momentum of the Hong Kong economy is expected to continue supporting the overall labour market, although employment conditions in some local sectors may still face challenges depending on business performance.
2026-03-18
Hong Kong Unemployment Rate Highest Since 2022
Hong Kong’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate edged up to 3.9% in the three months ending January 2026, marking the highest level since September 2022 and up from 3.8% in the previous month. The number of unemployed rose by 200 to 138,400, while total employment fell by 1,100 to 3.67 million. Youth unemployment among those aged 20-29 eased to 7% from 7.1% in December, reaching its lowest level since June 2025. The underunemployment rate remained unchanged at 1.7%, while the labour force was broadly on a par with the level in the preceding three-month period. Looking ahead, sustained economic growth in Hong Kong is expected to support the overall labour market, though some sectors may continue to face employment pressures due to challenging operating conditions.
2026-02-20