Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that both the general unemployment rate (2.0%) and the underemployment rate (0.4%) for May-July 2017 remained stable as in the previous period (April-June 2017). With fresh graduates entering the labour market, number of the unemployed searching for their first job registered increase, and the unemployment rate of local residents rose slightly by 0.1 percentage point from the previous period to 2.8%.

Total labour force was 392,100 and the labour force participation rate stood at 71.4%. Total employment was 384,100 and employed residents totalled 282,600, up by 1,800 and 1,600 respectively from the previous period. Analysed by industry, employment in Hotels, Restaurants & Similar Activities registered an increase, while that in Construction saw a decrease.

Number of the unemployed was 8,000, up by 100 from the previous period. Fresh labour force entrants searching for their first job accounted for 15.2% of the total unemployed, up by 4.4 percentage points.

In comparison with May-July 2016, the labour force participation rate and the underemployment rate dropped by 1.1 and 0.1 percentage points respectively while the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point.