LU2: Combined rate of time-related underemployment and unemployment in Hong Kong
Hong Kong: LU2: Combined rate of time-related underemployment and unemployment was 5.11 in 2025. ▲ Rising
LU2: Combined rate of time-related underemployment and unemployment in Hong Kong, 2010–2025
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
The most recent figure for lu2: combined rate of time-related underemployment and unemployment in Hong Kong is 5.11, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 23.4% on the previous year and up 9.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, lu2: combined rate of time-related underemployment and unemployment in Hong Kong peaked at 9.12 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 3.89, in 2018.
That places Hong Kong 78th out of 90 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 16 years of available data.
LU2: Combined rate of time-related underemployment and unemployment in Hong Kong, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 6.32 | — |
| 2011 | 5.13 | -18.9% |
| 2012 | 4.8 | -6.5% |
| 2013 | 4.91 | +2.4% |
| 2014 | 4.76 | -3.1% |
| 2015 | 4.68 | -1.7% |
| 2016 | 4.79 | +2.3% |
| 2017 | 4.28 | -10.6% |
| 2018 | 3.89 | -9.2% |
| 2019 | 3.97 | +2.1% |
| 2020 | 9.12 | +129.9% |
| 2021 | 7.73 | -15.3% |
| 2022 | 6.65 | -13.9% |
| 2023 | 4.04 | -39.3% |
| 2024 | 4.14 | +2.5% |
| 2025 | 5.11 | +23.4% |
Hong Kong compared with similar countries
- Hong Kong's 5.11 is below the median for high income countries, which is 8.92, 57% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Hong Kong's 5.11 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 5.19, 98% of the median. (10 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where LU2: Combined rate of time-related underemployment and unemployment in Hong Kong changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +129.9% | 3.97 | 9.12 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 4.75 | 3.89 | 6.32 | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.13 | 4.04 | 9.12 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Hong Kong
More work & labour data for Hong Kong
- 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 lu2: combined rate of time-related underemployment and unemployment in Hong Kong?
- Lu2: combined rate of time-related underemployment and unemployment in Hong Kong was 5.11 in 2025, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest lu2: combined rate of time-related underemployment and unemployment recorded in Hong Kong?
- The highest recorded value was 9.12 in 2020.
- What is the lowest lu2: combined rate of time-related underemployment and unemployment recorded in Hong Kong?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.89 in 2018.
- How does Hong Kong rank for lu2: combined rate of time-related underemployment and unemployment?
- Hong Kong ranks 78th out of 90 countries with data for 2025.
- Is lu2: combined rate of time-related underemployment and unemployment rising or falling in Hong Kong?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Hong Kong data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of LU2: Combined rate of time-related underemployment and unemployment (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) (15+). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 16 observations, free to reuse under ILO Terms of Use (attribution required).
About this data
With the aim of promoting international comparability, statistics presented on ILOSTAT are based on standard international definitions wherever feasible and may differ from official national figures. This series is based on the 13th ICLS definitions. For time series comparability, it includes countries that have implemented the 19th ICLS standards, for which data are also available in the Work Statistics -- 19th ICLS (WORK) database. LU2 represents the share of the labour force that are either in unemployment or time-related underemployment. Data disaggregated by level of education are provided on the highest level of education completed, classified according to the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED). Data may have been regrouped from national classifications, which may not be strictly compatible with ISCED. For more information, refer to the Education and Mismatch Indicators (EMI) database description.