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 62.3% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Hong Kong, China, 1961–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Hong Kong, China recorded 62.3% for labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 52 years on record.
The figure is down 0.7% on the previous year and down 9.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Hong Kong, China peaked at 90.4% in 1961 and was at its lowest, 62.3%, in 2025.
Hong Kong, China ranks 164th of 196 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 52 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Hong Kong, China, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 90.4% | — |
| 1966 | 86.1% | -4.7% |
| 1971 | 84.7% | -1.6% |
| 1975 | 82.4% | -2.7% |
| 1976 | 82.4% | -0.0% |
| 1979 | 80.1% | -2.7% |
| 1980 | 80.9% | +0.9% |
| 1981 | 82.5% | +2.0% |
| 1982 | 81.7% | -1.0% |
| 1983 | 81.3% | -0.5% |
| 1984 | 82.1% | +0.9% |
| 1985 | 80.4% | -2.1% |
| 1986 | 80.5% | +0.1% |
| 1987 | 80.2% | -0.3% |
| 1988 | 80.0% | -0.3% |
| 1989 | 79.4% | -0.8% |
| 1990 | 78.9% | -0.6% |
| 1991 | 78.8% | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 78.0% | -1.0% |
| 1993 | 78.1% | +0.1% |
| 1994 | 77.6% | -0.7% |
| 1995 | 76.6% | -1.3% |
| 1996 | 76.0% | -0.8% |
| 1997 | 75.7% | -0.4% |
| 1998 | 75.5% | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 74.0% | -2.0% |
| 2000 | 73.2% | -1.1% |
| 2001 | 73.0% | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 72.5% | -0.6% |
| 2003 | 72.0% | -0.7% |
| 2004 | 71.7% | -0.5% |
| 2005 | 71.1% | -0.8% |
| 2006 | 71.0% | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 70.5% | -0.7% |
| 2008 | 69.7% | -1.1% |
| 2009 | 69.4% | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 68.5% | -1.3% |
| 2011 | 68.4% | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 68.7% | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 69.2% | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 68.8% | -0.5% |
| 2015 | 68.8% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 68.6% | -0.3% |
| 2017 | 68.4% | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 68.6% | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 67.6% | -1.6% |
| 2020 | 66.3% | -1.8% |
| 2021 | 65.8% | -0.9% |
| 2022 | 64.7% | -1.6% |
| 2023 | 63.6% | -1.7% |
| 2024 | 62.7% | -1.3% |
| 2025 | 62.3% | -0.7% |
Hong Kong, China compared with similar countries
- Hong Kong, China's 62.3% is below the median for high income countries, which is 69.5%, 90% of the median. (79 countries reporting)
- Hong Kong, China's 62.3% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 71.0%, 88% of the median. (33 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 88.2% | 86.1% | 90.4% | 2 |
| 1970s | 82.4% | 80.1% | 84.7% | 4 |
| 1980s | 80.9% | 79.4% | 82.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 76.9% | 74.0% | 78.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 71.4% | 69.4% | 73.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 68.6% | 67.6% | 69.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 64.2% | 62.3% | 66.3% | 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 62.3% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), 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 90.4% in 1961.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) recorded in Hong Kong, China?
- The lowest recorded value was 62.3% in 2025.
- How does Hong Kong, China rank for labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+)?
- Hong Kong, China ranks 164th out of 196 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 9.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Hong Kong, China data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) (national 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.