Hong Kong Unemployment Holds at Highest Level Since November 2022

Hong Kong’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.7% in the three months ending August 2025, holding at July’s peak, the highest since November 2022. The number of unemployed increased by 6,000 to a three-year high of 151,000, while total employment grew by 9,300 to 3.68 million. Jobless rates rose in several key sectors, notably the food and beverage service sector and the manufacturing sector. Youth unemployment (ages 20–29) rose to 7.8%, the highest since October 2021, from 7.3% in July. Meanwhile, the labor force participation rate edged up to 57.2% from 57.0%. Looking ahead, Hong Kong’s steady economic growth and government measures to stimulate consumption are expected to support overall labor demand, despite headwinds in some sectors.