Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that both the general unemployment rate (1.9%) and the unemployment rate of local residents (2.6%) for September-November 2017 remained stable as in the previous period (August-October 2017). The underemployment rate was 0.4%, down by 0.1 percentage point.

Total labour force was 384,800 and the labour force participation rate stood at 70.4%. Total employment was 377,500 and employed residents totalled 278,500, down by 2,300 and 1,400 respectively from the previous period. Analysed by industry, employment in Restaurants & Similar Activities registered an increase, while that in Construction and Gaming & Junket Activities showed decreases.

Number of the unemployed (7,400) and the proportion of fresh labour force entrants searching for their first job in the total unemployed (14.8%) remained unchanged as in the previous period.

In comparison with September-November 2016, the unemployment rate stayed the same, while the labour force participation rate and the underemployment rate dropped by 1.5 and 0.3 percentage points respectively.