The Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) released results of the Employment Survey for the first quarter of 2011, of which principal indicators such as the labour force participation rate (71.5%) and unemployment rate (2.7%) were published in April. Total labour force was 334,000 in the first quarter of 2011, comprising 325,000 employed and 8,900 unemployed. Compared with the fourth quarter of 2010, total labour force and the employed population registered an increase of 3,500 each, and the number of unemployed was similar to the previous quarter. Analyzed by industry, the majority of the employed were engaging in Recreational, Cultural, Gaming & Other Services (23.6%), as well as Hotels, Restaurants & Similar Activities (14.0%). In terms of occupation, Clerks (including croupiers, floorpersons, betting service operators, etc.) and Service & Sales Workers accounted for 26.7% and 22.9% of the total respectively. Median monthly employment earnings of the employed increased by MOP 600 quarter-to-quarter to MOP 9,600 and that of the local residents held stable at MOP 10,000. Number of the underemployed totalled 4,800, with 67.8% engaging in Construction and 9.8% in Transport, Storage & Communications. In respect of the unemployed, 93.5% were searching for a new job and 6.5% were fresh labour force entrants searching for their first job. With regard to educational attainment, 32.9% had primary education or lower, 26.9% had junior secondary education and 24.5% had senior secondary education. For the unemployed that were searching for a new job, analyzed by industry previously engaged, 19.2% had worked in Wholesale & Retail Trade and 18.6% in Construction. Analyzed by previous occupation, 22.5% were Clerks and 21.0% were Service & Sales Workers.
