Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) in Hong Kong, China
Hong Kong, China: Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) was 78.6% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) in Hong Kong, China, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) in Hong Kong, China is 78.6%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.2% on the previous year and down 1.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) in Hong Kong, China peaked at 85.2% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 78.3%, in 2010.
That places Hong Kong, China 89th out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) in Hong Kong, China, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 85.2% | — |
| 1991 | 85.1% | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 84.8% | -0.4% |
| 1993 | 84.9% | +0.1% |
| 1994 | 84.4% | -0.5% |
| 1995 | 84.0% | -0.5% |
| 1996 | 83.7% | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 83.6% | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 83.4% | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 83.0% | -0.5% |
| 2000 | 82.5% | -0.6% |
| 2001 | 82.0% | -0.6% |
| 2002 | 81.7% | -0.4% |
| 2003 | 81.4% | -0.3% |
| 2004 | 81.2% | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 80.8% | -0.6% |
| 2006 | 80.4% | -0.4% |
| 2007 | 80.2% | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 79.3% | -1.1% |
| 2009 | 79.2% | -0.2% |
| 2010 | 78.3% | -1.1% |
| 2011 | 78.3% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 78.8% | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 79.5% | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 79.3% | -0.2% |
| 2015 | 79.9% | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 80.1% | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 80.1% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 80.7% | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 80.0% | -0.9% |
| 2020 | 79.2% | -0.9% |
| 2021 | 79.5% | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 78.8% | -0.9% |
| 2023 | 78.6% | -0.3% |
| 2024 | 78.5% | -0.2% |
| 2025 | 78.6% | +0.2% |
Hong Kong, China compared with similar countries
- Hong Kong, China's 78.6% is below the median for high income countries, which is 80.2%, 98% of the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Hong Kong, China's 78.6% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 78.2%, 1.0× the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 84.2% | 83.0% | 85.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 80.9% | 79.2% | 82.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 79.5% | 78.3% | 80.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 78.9% | 78.5% | 79.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Hong Kong, China
More work & labour data for Hong Kong, China
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 2,981 (2027)
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 55.13 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 3,663 (2027)
- Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) 2.78 (2027)
- Labour dependency ratio 1.06 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2021 international $ at PPP 149,185 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2015 US $ 100,833 (2027)
- Employment-to-population ratio (ILO modelled estimates) 53.6 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) 1.56 % change on previous year (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate -1.12 % change on previous year (2027)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) in Hong Kong, China?
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) in Hong Kong, China was 78.6% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) recorded in Hong Kong, China?
- The highest recorded value was 85.2% in 1990.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) recorded in Hong Kong, China?
- The lowest recorded value was 78.3% in 2010.
- How does Hong Kong, China rank for labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64)?
- Hong Kong, China ranks 89th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) rising or falling in Hong Kong, China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Hong Kong, China data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Labor force participation rate is the proportion of the population ages 15-64 that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.