SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition) in Hong Kong, China

Hong Kong, China: SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition) was 3.65 in 2025. ▼ Falling

Latest (2025)
3.65
Change on year
up 22.3%
World rank
124th
of 179 countries
All-time high
7.86
in 2003
All-time low
2.81
in 2018
Years of data
26
2000–2025

SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition) in Hong Kong, China, 2000–2025

024682000201220252000: 4.92001: 5.12002: 7.32003: 7.92004: 6.72005: 5.62006: 4.82007: 42008: 3.62009: 5.32010: 4.32011: 3.42012: 3.32013: 3.42014: 3.32015: 3.32016: 3.42017: 3.12018: 2.82019: 2.92020: 5.82021: 5.22022: 4.32023: 2.92024: 32025: 3.7

Source: International Labour Organization.

Analysis

In 2025, sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition) in Hong Kong, China stood at 3.65.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 22.3% on the previous year and up 10.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition) in Hong Kong, China peaked at 7.86 in 2003 and was at its lowest, 2.81, in 2018.

That places Hong Kong, China 124th out of 179 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 26 years of available data.

SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition) in Hong Kong, China, year by year

Annual values for SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) (15+) in Hong Kong, China, 2000 to 2025.
Year Value Change
2000 4.92
2001 5.09 +3.5%
2002 7.28 +43.0%
2003 7.86 +8.0%
2004 6.74 -14.2%
2005 5.58 -17.2%
2006 4.77 -14.5%
2007 4.01 -15.9%
2008 3.56 -11.2%
2009 5.26 +47.8%
2010 4.33 -17.7%
2011 3.42 -21.0%
2012 3.29 -4.0%
2013 3.4 +3.5%
2014 3.3 -3.1%
2015 3.31 +0.5%
2016 3.39 +2.4%
2017 3.12 -7.9%
2018 2.81 -10.2%
2019 2.92 +4.0%
2020 5.81 +99.1%
2021 5.17 -10.9%
2022 4.32 -16.5%
2023 2.95 -31.7%
2024 2.99 +1.3%
2025 3.65 +22.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 5.51 3.56 7.86 10
2010s 3.33 2.81 4.33 10
2020s 4.15 2.95 5.81 6

Countries ranked near Hong Kong, China

  1. 121 Netherlands 3.85 compare
  2. 122 Taiwan, China 3.85 compare
  3. 123 Germany 3.82 compare
  4. 125 Bangladesh 3.63 compare
  5. 126 Bulgaria 3.52 compare
  6. 127 Kyrgyzstan 3.5 compare

See the full ranking of 266 places →

More work & labour data for Hong Kong, China

All data for Hong Kong, China →

Frequently asked questions

What is sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition) in Hong Kong, China?
Sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition) in Hong Kong, China was 3.65 in 2025, according to International Labour Organization.
What is the highest sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition) recorded in Hong Kong, China?
The highest recorded value was 7.86 in 2003.
What is the lowest sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition) recorded in Hong Kong, China?
The lowest recorded value was 2.81 in 2018.
How does Hong Kong, China rank for sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition)?
Hong Kong, China ranks 124th out of 179 countries with data for 2025.
Is sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (previous ilo definition) rising or falling in Hong Kong, China?
Over the last ten years it is up 10.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Hong Kong, China data come from?
The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) (15+). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition) in Hong Kong, China. Statizoid, drawing on International Labour Organization. Retrieved 07 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/sdg-indicator-8-5-2-unemployment-rate-previous-ilo-definition-icls13-15/hong-kong-sar-china/

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About this data

Indicator
SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) (15+)
Source
International Labour Organization
Licence
ILO Terms of Use (attribution required)
Coverage
266 places, 5,648 data points, 2000–2027
Last refreshed

Data may differ from nationally reported figures and the Global SDG Indicators Database due to differences in sources and/or reference years. The unemployment rate conveys the number of persons who are unemployed as a percent of the labour force (i.e., the employed plus the unemployed). The unemployed comprise all persons of working age who were: a) without work during the reference period, i.e. were not in paid employment or self-employment; b) currently available for work, i.e. were available for paid employment or self-employment during the reference period; and c) seeking work, i.e. had taken specific steps in a specified recent period to seek paid employment or self-employment. For more information, refer to the Labour Market-related SDG Indicators (ILOSDG) database description.