Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that the general unemployment rate for June-August 2017 held stable as in the previous period (May-July 2017), at 2.0%; the unemployment rate of local residents was 2.7%, down by 0.1 percentage point. Meanwhile, the underemployment rate was 0.5%, up by 0.1 percentage point.

Total labour force was 392,100 and the labour force participation rate stood at 71.5%. Total employment was 384,200 and employed residents totalled 283,800, up by 100 and 1,200 respectively from the previous period. Analysed by industry, employment in Gaming & Junket Activities registered an increase, while that in Hotels, Restaurants & Similar Activities, Wholesale & Retail Trade and Construction showed decreases.

Number of the unemployed was 7,900, down by 100 from the previous period. Fresh labour force entrants searching for their first job accounted for 17.2% of the total unemployed, up by 2.0 percentage points.

In comparison with June-August 2016, the labour force participation rate dropped by 1.2 percentage points, while both the unemployment rate and the underemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point.