The Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) released results of the Employment Survey for the third quarter of 2009, of which principal indicators such as the labour force participation rate (72.0%), unemployment rate (3.7%), etc. have been published in October.

Total labour force was 328,000 in the third quarter of 2009, comprising 316,000 employed and 12,000 unemployed. Compared with the second quarter, total labour force registered a decrease of 4,800, with the number of the employed decreasing by 5,200 but that of the unemployed increasing by 400.

Analyzed by industry, the majority of the employed were engaging in Recreational, Cultural, Gaming & Other Services (23.2%) and Hotels, Restaurants & Similar Activities (14.1%). In terms of occupation, most of the employed were Clerks (including casino dealers, floorpersons, betting service operators, etc.) and Service & Sales Workers, accounting for 25.6% and 23.1% respectively.

Median monthly employment earnings of both the employed (MOP8,500) and the local residents (MOP10,000) held stable as the second quarter of 2009.

Number of the underemployed totalled 6,500, with 71.5% engaging in Construction and 12.9% in Transport, Storage & Communications.

Within the unemployed, 82.4% were searching for a new job and 17.6% were fresh labour force entrants searching for their first job. With regard to the educational attainment, 34.6% of the unemployed had primary education or lower, 29.0% had junior secondary education and 19.8% had senior secondary education.

For the unemployed that were searching for a new job, analyzed by industry previously engaged, 29.1% had worked in Construction and 15.9% in Wholesale & Retail Trade. Analyzed by previous occupation, 24.1% were Service & Sales Workers and 22.3% were Unskilled Workers.