The Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) released results of the Employment Survey for the fourth quarter of 2010, of which principal indicators such as the overall unemployment rate (2.7%) and unemployment rate of local residents (3.3%) were published in January. Total labour force was 331,000 in the fourth quarter of 2010, comprising 322,000 employed and 8,900 unemployed. Compared with the third quarter, total labour force and number of the employed increased by 1,300 and 1,700 respectively, while number of the unemployed decreased by 500. Analyzed by industry, the majority of the employed were engaging in Recreational, Cultural, Gaming & Other Services (24.1%) and Wholesale & Retail Trade (13.7%). In terms of occupation, most of the employed were Clerks (including casino dealers, floorpersons, betting service operators, etc.) and Service & Sales Workers, accounting for 27.5% and 20.9% respectively. Median monthly employment earnings of both the employed (MOP9,000) and the local residents (MOP10,000) held stable as the third quarter of 2010. Number of the underemployed totalled 5,700, with 62.9% engaging in Construction and 15.3% in Transport, Storage & Communications. In respect of the unemployed, 89.5% were searching for a new job and 10.5% were fresh labour force entrants searching for their first job. With regard to educational attainment, 32.0% had primary education or lower, 26.8% had junior secondary education and 24.4% had senior secondary education. For the unemployed that were searching for a new job, analyzed by industry previously engaged, 24.0% had worked in Construction and 18.3% in Hotels, Restaurants & Similar Activities. Analyzed by previous occupation, 24.5% were Service & Sales Workers and 20.7% were Clerks. For the whole year of 2010, median monthly employment earnings of the employed (MOP9,000) rose by 5.9% over 2009, while that of the local residents (MOP10,000) remained unchanged. In 2010, average number of the employed per household was 1.8 and the median monthly employment earnings per household increased by 3.2% year-on-year to MOP16,300.
