Hong Kong Jobless Rate Unchanged at 3.7%

2026-08-20 08:50 By Judith Sib-at 1 min. read

Hong Kong’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained at 3.7% in the three months ending July 2026, staying at its lowest level since the period ending August 2025.

The number of unemployed persons increased by 6,000 month-on-month to 145,700, while total employment rose by 1,500 to 3.648 million.

The youth unemployment rate for those aged 20 to 29 climbed to 8.4% from 7.5%.

The underemployment rate also edged higher to 1.7% from 1.6%, with the number of underemployed persons rising by 3,800 to 66,200.

Meanwhile, the labor force participation rate ticked up to 56.3% from 56.2%.

Looking ahead, Mr. Chris Sun, the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, said, “The ongoing expansion of the local economy is expected to underpin overall labour market conditions, though fresh graduates and school leavers entering the labour market may pose some pressure on the unemployment rate.

The potential impacts of external headwinds on corporate hiring sentiments also continue to warrant attention.”



News Stream
Hong Kong Jobless Rate Unchanged at 3.7%
Hong Kong’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained at 3.7% in the three months ending July 2026, staying at its lowest level since the period ending August 2025. The number of unemployed persons increased by 6,000 month-on-month to 145,700, while total employment rose by 1,500 to 3.648 million. The youth unemployment rate for those aged 20 to 29 climbed to 8.4% from 7.5%. The underemployment rate also edged higher to 1.7% from 1.6%, with the number of underemployed persons rising by 3,800 to 66,200. Meanwhile, the labor force participation rate ticked up to 56.3% from 56.2%. Looking ahead, Mr. Chris Sun, the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, said, “The ongoing expansion of the local economy is expected to underpin overall labour market conditions, though fresh graduates and school leavers entering the labour market may pose some pressure on the unemployment rate. The potential impacts of external headwinds on corporate hiring sentiments also continue to warrant attention.”
2026-08-20
Hong Kong Unemployment Rate Steady
Hong Kong’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate held steady at 3.7% in the three months ending June 2026, remaining at its lowest level since the period ending August 2025. The number of unemployed people declined by 1,400 month-on-month to 139,700, while total employment increased by 6,800 to 3.6 million. However, labor market conditions among younger workers weakened, with the unemployment rate for those aged 20 to 29 rising to 7.5% from 7%, the highest since the three months ending November 2025. The underemployment rate also edged up to 1.6% from 1.5%. Meanwhile, the labor force participation rate inched higher to 56.2% from 56.1% in the previous period. Looking ahead, Mr Sun said the continued economic expansion should support the overall labour market, although the influx of fresh graduates and school leavers during the summer may have some impact. The Government will closely monitor how external uncertainties affect corporate hiring sentiment.
2026-07-17
Hong Kong Unemployment Rate Unchanged at 3.7%
Hong Kong's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate stood at 3.7% in the three months ending in May 2026, unchanged from the previous period and remaining at its lowest level since the three months ending in August 2025. The number of unemployed persons increased by 1.9 thousand month-on-month, while total employment fell by 8.7 thousand to 3.64 million. Meanwhile, the youth unemployment rate for those aged 20 to 29 edged up to 7.0% from 6.8%, while the underemployment rate remained unchanged at 1.5%. The labor force participation rate ticked down to 56.1% in the three months ending in May from 56.3% in the preceding period. Looking ahead, Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun said, "The ongoing economic expansion should continue to support the overall labour market. The Government will continue to closely monitor evolving external uncertainties and their potential implications for the Hong Kong economy."
2026-06-16