Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that both the general unemployment rate (1.8%) and the unemployment rate of local residents (2.4%) for July-September 2018 remained stable as in the previous period (June-August 2018). The underemployment rate was 0.4%, down by 0.2 percentage points.
Total labour force was 394,600 and the labour force participation rate was 71.3%. Total employment was 387,600 and number of employed residents totalled 285,300, up by 2,600 and 1,600 respectively from the previous period. Number of the unemployed was 6,900, down by 200 from the previous period. Fresh labour force entrants searching for their first job accounted for 20.6% of the total unemployed, down by 0.4 percentage points.
In the third quarter of 2018, the general unemployment rate (1.8%) and the unemployment rate of local residents (2.4%) held steady compared to the previous quarter. Total employment increased by 2,200 quarter-to-quarter, with number of employed residents rising by 1,100. Analysed by industry, employment in Real Estate & Business Activities (33,600) and Transport, Storage & Communications Sector (19,600) rose by 3,200 and 2,400 respectively quarter-to-quarter, while that in Wholesale & Retail Trade (43,100) decreased by 2,000.
Median monthly employment earnings of the employed in the third quarter remained stable from the previous quarter, at MOP16,000, with those engaging in Gaming & Junket Activities and Construction earning MOP20,000 and MOP15,000 respectively. Moreover, median earnings of the employed residents stood at MOP20,000, the same as in the second quarter.