The new labour chief echoed Tung Chee-hwa yesterday in saying the jobless should not be choosy.
Commissioner for Labour Matthew Cheung Kin-chung said on his first day in office that he understood the plight of the unemployed.
The former deputy secretary of the Education and Manpower Bureau now heads the 1,600-strong Labour Department, with his monthly salary rising from $145,150 to $162,650.
Mr Cheung, 48, joined the civil service after graduating in 1972 and has enjoyed job security ever since.
'I completely understand the feelings of the unemployed people. Ultimately the situation will improve. It's just a matter of time,' he said.
Mr Cheung said the jobless should settle for work that offered low pay and long hours so they would not lose hope by remaining idle.