Advertisement
Coronavirus: Hong Kong unemployment rate rises to 6.2 per cent, highest in more than 15 years
- Jobless rate has climbed for nine straight months as coronavirus pandemic drags the economy deeper into recession following last year’s social unrest
- Labour chief Law Chi-kwong warns job situation continued to deteriorate in second quarter and recovery will depend on handling of global health crisis
Reading Time:3 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
Hong Kong’s unemployment rate has climbed to its highest level in more than 15 years, hitting 6.2 per cent, while a fresh wave of coronavirus infections could plunge the embattled economy further into recession.
The jobless rate has climbed for nine straight months as the Covid-19 pandemic takes its toll on an economy that was already in the doldrums following months of social unrest last year.
Official figures released on Monday showed the city’s jobless rate was 6.2 per cent for the three-month rolling period of April to June, compared with 5.9 per cent for March to May.
04:58
Hong Kong tightens social-distancing rules as Covid-19 cases soar
Hong Kong tightens social-distancing rules as Covid-19 cases soar
It is now at its highest since January 2005, when the rate was 6.4 per cent.
Advertisement
Separately, about 18,600 unemployed people received help under the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance Scheme, an increase of 0.9 per cent compared with the previous month, according to data revealed on Monday.
New applications involving unemployment cases seeking social security were still about three times higher than a year ago, even though they fell 45.3 per cent to 1,823 in June from the April peak of 3,957.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Select Voice
Choose your listening speed
Get through articles 2x faster
1.25x
250 WPM
Slow
Average
Fast
1.25x