The best long-term solution for the unemployment crisis is to improve education standards and strengthen vocational training, a survey of the public and human resources managers has found.
There was also support for tougher restrictions on hiring foreign workers to protect the employment prospects of locals.
Market research firm NFO WorldGroup polled 1,060 members of the public by phone last month and found 55 per cent felt the economic slump was responsible for the rise in the jobless rate, which stands at 7.7 per cent.
More than one third blamed enterprises withdrawing from Hong Kong, while 27 per cent cited government policy failure and 19 per too many foreign workers.
Respondents could give more than one response.
As for a possible long-term solution, 23 per cent urged the government to improve educational standards and 21 per cent wanted more resources to go to vocational training.
About 18 per cent favoured more restrictions on foreign workers. The survey also found that 30 per cent said university graduates should be advised to lower their expectations on pay and work conditions in a bid to get them in work once they had finished their courses.