Hong Kong’s jobless rate falls to 6.4 percent

Hong Kong’s unemployment rate fell to 6.4 percent in April, with the city’s labour chief saying the containment of the Covid-19 epidemic here has helped improve the situation.

The SAR’s jobless rate hit a 17-year high of 7.2 percent for the three-month period ending in February, but fell 0.4 percent in March and a further two fifths of a percent last month.

The Census and Statistics Department said the city’s jobless rate fell across almost all sectors, with the construction, retail, accommodation and food services sectors seeing the most distinct improvement.

The city’s underemployed rate also fell from 3.8 to 3.3 percent.

About 247,500 people remained unemployed between February and April, about 12,300 fewer than the three months before the period.

Labour and Welfare Secretary Law Chi-kwong said the labour market saw some improvement recently as the local epidemic situation receded, but it would take time for the market to further recover.

“Considering that the business receipts of many labour-intensive sectors are still far below the pre-recession levels, the labour market will take time to attain a more visible recovery,” he said.

“Nonetheless, if the local epidemic remains well-contained, the pressure on the labour market will gradually ease in the period ahead.”