Hong Kong: Total number of private sector employees decreased by 2,100 year-on-year in June, and number of job vacancies decreased by 4,150 year-on-year

The Zhitong Finance App learned that according to the statistics on workers and job vacancies published by the Statistics Department of the Hong Kong Government today (September 18), compared with the same period last year, the total number of employees in private institutions in the industries covered by the survey fell 0.1%, or 2,150; while the number of job vacancies was 45,380, a decrease of 8% or 4150 over the same period last year.

Statistics on practitioners

In June 2026, the total number of employees in all covered industries was 2,697,400. The number of people employed in the import and export trade business was 342,800, followed by professional and commercial services (excluding cleaning and similar services) with 314,100, finance and insurance with 234,300, retail, 227,500, and catering services with 218,100.

Compared with the same period last year, there were mixed changes in the number of employees in each selected industry. The increase was mainly seen in the residential services sector (6.0% or 2,200 people), the real estate industry (3.5% or 5,100 people), and residential care and social work services (1.7% or 1,300 people). On the other hand, the main industries where the number of workers declined were wholesale trade (-1.9% or -800 people), manufacturing (-1.8% or -1,400 people), import and export trade (-1.4% or -4 700 people), and transportation, warehousing, postal and courier services (-1.3% or -2100 people). Table 1 shows the number of people employed in selected key industries.

Job vacancy statistics

Of the 45,380 private sector job vacancies in June 2026, the finance and insurance sector accounted for 4,920, the education sector for 4,560, residential care and social work services for 4,450, professional and commercial services (excluding cleaning and similar services), and 3,530 for the catering service sector.

In June 2026, the number of job vacancies in several selected industries decreased compared to the same period last year. The decrease was mainly seen in real estate (-810 or -23%), education (-740 or -14%), professional and commercial services (excluding cleaning and similar services) (-730 or -15%), and human health services (-620 or -18%). On the other hand, the main industries where the number of job vacancies increased were residential care and social work services (310 or 8%) and transportation, warehousing, postal and courier services (140 or 4%). Table 2 shows the number of job vacancies in selected major industries.

Analyzed by major occupational groups, the main vacancies in the private sector were service and sales personnel (15,330), paraprofessionals (8,910) and professionals (7,580). Table 3 shows the number of job vacancies by major occupational groups.