22-06 Number of Employed Persons by Industry

(person)

Industry

1990

1996

1997

1998

1999

 

 

 

 

 

 

Manufacturing

751000

482100

443900

391900

374200

Construction

226000

269600

306200

319500

307800

Wholesale, Retail and

          

           

           

           

 

Import/Export Trades,

703200

887400

952200

973900

974800

Restaurants and Hotels

          

           

           

           

 

Transport, Storage and

268400

331800

346400

363300

363000

Communications

          

           

           

           

 

Financing, Insurance, Real

          

           

           

           

 

Estate and Business Services

208600

353600

399500

419000

456100

Community, Social and

          

           

           

           

 

Personal Services

511800

649500

666500

705300

755300

Others

42700

33800

30000

28200

28300

Total

2711500

300770

3144700

3201000

3259500

 

 

 

 

 

 

Note: Employment statistics are compiled separately based on the General Household Survey (GHS) and the Quarterly Survey of Employment and Vacancies. Each source has its own merits and limitations in reflecting the employment situation. The GHS estimates are presented here because the omission in terms of coverage of the employed population is negligible. Besides, individual persons, including multiple job holders, are counted only once. However, a major limitation of the GHS estimates is that the respondents might not have reported accurately the industry to which they belong, especially for workers in the manufacturing sector. With the relocation of some production processes to the mainland of China, there is a change in the mode of operation of the traditional manufacturing establishments in Hong Kong. As a result, some of these establishments are more appropriately classified as import/export establishments if the majority of the production activities are carried out in the mainland of China. However, this change in statistical classification may not be readily recognized by all the employed persons, particularly the technicians and craftsmen, of the establishments concerned. Hence, the GHS employment estimate in respect of the manufacturing sector will be overstated to the extent that some respondents mistakenly regard themselves as still being engaged in the   manufacturing sector instead of the import/export trades.