Unemployment rate remains stable

The general unemployment rate in Macau from September to November 2018 was 1.7 percent, down 0.1 percentage points from the previous period from August to October, according to data released by the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC). The unemployment rate of local residents remained unchanged at 2.4 percent and the underemployment rate dropped 0.1 percentage points to 0.3 percent.

The total labor force was 392,900 and the labor force participation rate was 70.7 percent. Total employment was 386,100, up by 100 from the previous period and the number of employed residents totaled 283,000, down by 400.

Analyzed by industry, employment in the transport, storage and communications sector and the construction sector registered increases, while employment in hotels and similar activities, and gaming and junket activities decreased.

The number of unemployed residents was 6,800, down by 100 from the previous period. Fresh labor force entrants searching for their first job accounted for 14.1 percent of the total unemployed, down 0.8 percentage points.

In comparison with 2017, the unemployment and underemployment rates decreased 0.2 and 0.1 percentage points respectively, while the labor force participation rate rose 0.3 percentage points.