Private Sector Employment Drops 0.4% in September 2025; Job Vacancies Fall by 23%

Statistics on persons engaged and vacancies for September 2025

According to the statistics on persons engaged and vacancies (formerly known as employment and vacancies statistics) released today (December 19) by the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD), total number of persons engaged in the private sector surveyed decreased by 0.4% or 11 300 persons in September 2025 compared with a year earlier. The total number of vacancies was 51 450, representing a decrease of 23% or 15 010 over the preceding year.

Persons engaged statistics

In September 2025, the selected industries as a whole engaged 2 710 200 persons. The import and export trade engaged 342 700 persons, followed by professional and business services (excluding cleaning and similar services) engaging 314 800 persons, financing and insurance 238 500 persons, retail trade 230 000 persons, and food and beverage services 217 500 persons.

Movements in the number of persons engaged in different surveyed industries varied when compared with a year earlier. Increases were mainly observed in the industries of human health services (3.6% or 5 700 persons), financing and insurance (3.5% or 8 000 persons), and manufacturing (2.1% or 1 600 persons). On the other hand, the number of persons engaged decreased mainly in the industries of construction sites (manual workers only) (-6.2% or -7 600 persons), import and export trade (-3.7% or -13 000 persons), retail trade (-3.0% or -7 100 persons), and cleaning and similar services (-2.6% or -2 200 persons). Number of persons engaged for selected major industries are shown in Table 1.

Vacancies statistics

Among the 51 450 private sector vacancies in September 2025, 5 860 were from the industry of financing and insurance, 5 260 from education, 5 120 from professional and business services (excluding cleaning and similar services), 4 830 from human health services, and 4 230 from residential care and social work services.

Vacancies decreased in majority of the selected industries in September 2025 over a year earlier. Decreases were mainly observed in the industries of transportation, storage, postal and courier services (-2 260 or -45%), food and beverage services (-1 820 or -33%), human health services (-1 760 or -27%), and arts, entertainment, recreation and other services (-1 620 or -38%). On the other hand, vacancies increased in the industries of financing and insurance (860 or 17%), and information and communications (260 or 11%). Job vacancies figures for selected major industries are shown in Table 2.

Analysed by major occupation category, private sector vacancies were observed mainly in the categories of service and sales workers (16 920 vacancies), professionals (9 580 vacancies), and associate professionals (9 340 vacancies). Job vacancies figures by major occupation category are shown in Table 3.

Seasonally adjusted statistics

For discerning the latest trend in the number of persons engaged and vacancies in the private sector, it is useful to look at changes over a three-month period in the respective seasonally adjusted figures. Compared with June 2025, the seasonally adjusted total number of persons engaged and total vacancies in the surveyed industries increased by 0.2% and decreased by 1.7% respectively in September 2025. The changes over three-month periods in the seasonally adjusted series of persons engaged and vacancies are shown in Table 4.

Other information

The above statistics on persons engaged and vacancies were obtained from the Quarterly Survey of Employment and Vacancies and the Quarterly Employment Survey of Construction Sites conducted by the C&SD. In the former survey, some economic activities (e.g. those dominated by self-employment, including taxi operators and hawkers) are not covered. Therefore, the respective figures for persons engaged and vacancies relate only to those selected industries included in the survey. In the latter survey on construction sites, the number of persons engaged and vacancies relate to manual workers only.

A detailed breakdown of the above statistics is published in the following reports:

"Quarterly Report of Persons Engaged and Vacancies Statistics, September 2025" (formerly known as "Quarterly Report of Employment and Vacancies Statistics")

(www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1050003&scode=452)

"Quarterly Report of Manual Workers and Vacancies at Construction Sites, September 2025" (formerly known as "Quarterly Report of Employment and Vacancies at Construction Sites")

(www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1050004&scode=452)

Users can browse and download these publications at the website of the C&SD.

Enquiries on more detailed statistics on persons engaged and vacancies can be directed to the Employment Statistics Section of the C&SD (Tel: 2582 5076 or email: employment@censtatd.gov.hk).

Source: AI-found images

Red tides sighted

Seven red tides were sighted during the past week, the Inter-departmental Red Tide Working Group reported today (December 19).

On December 15, staff of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department spotted six red tides at Butterfly Beach, Cafeteria New Beach, Cafeteria Old Beach, Golden Beach, Castle Peak Beach and Kadoorie Beach in Tuen Mun, respectively. On December 17, another red tide was spotted at Deep Water Bay Beach in Southern District, Hong Kong Island.

The red tides at Butterfly Beach, Castle Peak Beach and Deep Water Bay Beach still persist, while the other four red tides have dissipated. No associated fish deaths have been reported as of today.

A spokesman for the working group said, "All seven red tides were formed by Phaeocystis globosa, which is commonly found in Hong Kong waters. According to literature overseas, the algal species can produce foam that may affect fish."

The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) urged mariculturists at the Lo Tik Wan, Sok Kwu Wan and Po Toi fish culture zones to monitor the situation closely and increase aeration where necessary.

Red tide is a natural phenomenon. The AFCD's proactive phytoplankton monitoring programme will continue to monitor red tide occurrences to minimise the impact on the mariculture industry and the public.

Source: AI-found images