Hong Kong: The unemployment rate rose to 3.9% from July to September 2025.

According to the latest labor force statistics released by the Hong Kong government's Census and Statistics Department today (October 20), the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose from 3.7% in June-August 2025 to 3.9% in July-September 2025. The underemployment rate remained unchanged at 1.6% during the two periods. Comparing July-September 2025 with June-August 2025, the unemployment rates (not seasonally adjusted) of many major economic sectors increased, with significant increases seen in the social work activities industry and the construction industry. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate in the food and beverage service industry remained stable, and the unemployment rates in the financial industry and human health activities industry recorded a decrease. The changes in underemployment rates varied across industries, but the magnitudes were generally small. The total number of employed persons decreased from 3,680,600 in June-August 2025 to 3,674,500 in July-September 2025, a decrease of about 6,100 persons. Similarly, the total labor force decreased from 3,831,600 to 3,830,100 during the same period, a decrease of about 1,500 persons. The number of unemployed persons (not seasonally adjusted) increased from 151,000 in June-August 2025 to 155,600 in July-September 2025, an increase of about 4,600 persons. The number of underemployed persons also increased from 59,400 to 60,000 during the same period, an increase of about 600 persons. When commenting on the latest unemployment figures, Secretary for Labour and Welfare of Hong Kong, Sun Yukhan, stated, "The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for July-September 2025 rose by 0.2 percentage points to 3.9% compared to the previous three months. The underemployment rate remained unchanged at 1.6%. The labor force and total employment numbers both saw slight decreases during the same period." Looking ahead, Sun Yukhan said, "The Hong Kong economy continues to expand, which is expected to support job growth. However, some industries are still facing challenges in employment as the economy undergoes transformation. Uncertainties in the external environment may also affect companies' recruitment intentions. The government will continue to closely monitor the labor market situation and work towards facilitating the dissemination of employment information to assist citizens in finding jobs."