Hong Kong jobless rate holds steady at 3.9 per cent but Covid crisis mounting source of pressure: minister
- Rate remains lowest jobless figure since February of 2020, when unemployment peaked at 7.2 per cent
- Labour chief Law Chi-kwong says city’s fifth wave of Covid-19 cases has started to weigh on jobs market.
The figure was unchanged from the previous rolling three-month period running from October to December, the Census and Statistics Department revealed on Monday.
It remains the lowest jobless figure since February of 2020, when unemployment peaked at 7.2 per cent – the worst showing since 2004.
Secretary for Labour and Welfare Law Chi-kwong said the city’s fifth wave of Covid-19 cases had started to weigh on the labour market.
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“The deterioration in the local epidemic situation of late will pose further pressure on the labour market,” he said. “However, the outlook of the labour market would hinge on the development of the local epidemic. It is thus essential for the community to work in unison to help and support the government to put the local epidemic under control as swiftly as possible.”