Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that the unemployment rate for April-June 2013 held stable at 1.8% in comparison with the previous period (March-May); the underemployment rate was 0.7%, down by 0.1 percentage point.

Total labour force reached 364,000 and the labour force participation rate stood at 72.4%; total employment increased by 3,100 from the previous period, at 357,500, with marked increase (+8.8%) being observed in the Construction sector. Analyzed by industry, the majority were engaging in Recreational, Cultural, Gaming & Other Services (25.7%), and Hotels, Restaurants & Similar Activities (15.6%)

Number of the unemployed increased by 100 from the previous period to 6,500; fresh labour force entrants searching for their first job accounted for 5.3% of the total unemployed, up by 2.3 percentage points.

In the second quarter of 2013, the general unemployment rate (1.8%) and the unemployment rate of local residents (2.3%) decreased by 0.1 and 0.2 percentage points respectively quarter-to-quarter. Total labour force registered an increase of 5,400 quarter-to-quarter, with total employment soaring by 5,700 and the unemployed decreasing by 300.

Median monthly employment earnings of the employed held stable as the previous quarter at MOP12,000 in the second quarter of 2013. Median monthly employment earnings of the employed residents amounted to MOP14,000, down by MOP500 quarter-to-quarter, as seasonal effect of the thirteenth month salary, bonuses etc. of the first quarter receded. Moreover, median monthly employment earnings of residents working full-time (35 hours or above per week) stayed at MOP15,000 in the second quarter of 2013.