Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that the unemployment rate for April-June 2009 was 3.6% and the underemployment rate was 1.8%, both up slightly by 0.1 percentage point over the previous period (March-May 2009). Total labour force held stable from the previous period, at 333,000 in April-June 2009, and the labour force participation rate stayed at 72.6%. The employed population totalled 321,000 and the number of the unemployed was 12,000, of which 9.4% (1,100) were fresh labour force entrants searching for their first job, down by 0.5 percentage point over the previous period. Analysed by industry, the number of persons working in Construction and the Gaming Sector decreased from the preceding period, while that in Hotels, Restaurants & Similar Activities registered an increase. In comparison with April-June 2008, the unemployment rate and the underemployment rate went up by 0.8 and 0.2 percentage point respectively, while the labour force participation rate fell by 0.2 percentage point. In the second quarter of 2009, the unemployment rate of local residents stood at 4.5%, down by 0.3 percentage point over the first quarter of 2009; the labour force participation rate of local residents rose by 0.3 percentage point to 67.3%.
