Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Hong Kong, China
Hong Kong, China: Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) was 62.1% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Hong Kong, China, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Hong Kong, China stood at 62.1%. That is the lowest value across all 36 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.8% on the previous year and down 8.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Hong Kong, China peaked at 79.1% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 62.1%, in 2025.
Hong Kong, China ranks 155th of 187 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
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+) in Hong Kong, China, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 79.1% | — |
| 1991 | 78.8% | -0.4% |
| 1992 | 78.1% | -1.0% |
| 1993 | 77.8% | -0.4% |
| 1994 | 77.0% | -1.0% |
| 1995 | 76.3% | -0.9% |
| 1996 | 75.6% | -0.9% |
| 1997 | 75.1% | -0.7% |
| 1998 | 74.6% | -0.7% |
| 1999 | 73.9% | -0.9% |
| 2000 | 73.3% | -0.9% |
| 2001 | 72.5% | -1.1% |
| 2002 | 72.0% | -0.7% |
| 2003 | 71.5% | -0.7% |
| 2004 | 71.2% | -0.5% |
| 2005 | 70.6% | -0.8% |
| 2006 | 70.3% | -0.5% |
| 2007 | 69.8% | -0.6% |
| 2008 | 68.9% | -1.3% |
| 2009 | 68.7% | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 67.8% | -1.3% |
| 2011 | 67.7% | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 68.0% | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 68.5% | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 68.1% | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 68.1% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 67.9% | -0.3% |
| 2017 | 67.7% | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 68.0% | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 66.8% | -1.7% |
| 2020 | 65.5% | -1.9% |
| 2021 | 65.0% | -0.8% |
| 2022 | 64.2% | -1.3% |
| 2023 | 63.4% | -1.2% |
| 2024 | 62.6% | -1.3% |
| 2025 | 62.1% | -0.8% |
Hong Kong, China compared with similar countries
- Hong Kong, China's 62.1% is below the median for high income countries, which is 68.8%, 90% of the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Hong Kong, China's 62.1% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 72.0%, 86% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 76.6% | 73.9% | 79.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 70.9% | 68.7% | 73.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 67.8% | 66.8% | 68.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 63.8% | 62.1% | 65.5% | 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+) in Hong Kong, China?
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Hong Kong, China was 62.1% 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+) recorded in Hong Kong, China?
- The highest recorded value was 79.1% in 1990.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) recorded in Hong Kong, China?
- The lowest recorded value was 62.1% in 2025.
- How does Hong Kong, China rank for labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+)?
- Hong Kong, China ranks 155th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) rising or falling in Hong Kong, China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.9%. 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+) (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 and older that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.