The Zhitong Finance App learned that according to the latest labour force statistics published by the Statistics Department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government today (October 22) (that is, provisional figures for July to September 2026), the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose from 3.8% from June to August 2026 to 3.9% from July to September 2026. The underemployment rate also increased from 1.9% from June to August 2026 to 2.0% from July to September 2026.
Compared with June to August 2026, the unemployment rate of various industries (without seasonal adjustment) varied between July and September 2026. Among them, social work activities, and warehousing and transportation support activities showed relatively significant increases. In terms of underemployment, the increase was mainly seen in the food service activity industry and retail industry.
The total number of employed people rose from 3652,000 from June to August 2026 to 3655,000 from July to September 2026, an increase of about 3,000. The total working population also rose from 3805,900 to 3810,000 during the same period, an increase of about 4,100.
The number of unemployed (not seasonally adjusted) rose from 153,900 from June to August 2026 to 155,000 from July to September 2026, an increase of about 1,100. The number of underemployed people also rose from 72,100 to 75,000 during the same period, an increase of about 2,900.
Commenting on the latest unemployment figures, the Secretary for Labour and Welfare of Hong Kong, Mr Sun Yuhan, said, “The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate from July to September 2026 rose slightly by 0.1 percentage points to 3.9% over the previous three-month period. The underemployment rate also rose slightly by 0.1 percentage points to 2.0%. The working population and total number of employed persons increased further during the same period as fresh graduates and school leavers continued to participate in the labor market.”
Looking ahead, Sun Yuhan said, “Continued expansion of the local economy, improved business climate, and continued growth in the number of visitors to Hong Kong are expected to support the overall employment situation, particularly in the consumer and tourism-related industries. At the same time, the Government will continue to closely monitor the potential impact of uncertainties on companies' recruitment intentions and provide appropriate support to job seekers.”