Unemployment rate in Hong Kong
Hong Kong: Unemployment rate was 2.67 in 2031. ▲ Rising
Unemployment rate in Hong Kong, 1980–2031
Source: International Monetary Fund.
Analysis
Hong Kong recorded 2.67 for unemployment rate in 2031.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.4% on the previous year and down 50.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate in Hong Kong peaked at 7.93 in 2003 and was at its lowest, 1.08, in 1989.
Hong Kong ranks 19th of 22 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 52 years of available data.
Unemployment rate in Hong Kong, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 3.8 | — |
| 1981 | 3.9 | +2.6% |
| 1982 | 3.52 | -9.7% |
| 1983 | 4.35 | +23.5% |
| 1984 | 3.88 | -10.9% |
| 1985 | 3.18 | -17.9% |
| 1986 | 2.82 | -11.4% |
| 1987 | 1.74 | -38.4% |
| 1988 | 1.36 | -21.5% |
| 1989 | 1.08 | -20.9% |
| 1990 | 1.33 | +23.4% |
| 1991 | 1.8 | +35.0% |
| 1992 | 1.96 | +9.0% |
| 1993 | 1.97 | +0.6% |
| 1994 | 1.92 | -2.7% |
| 1995 | 3.19 | +66.0% |
| 1996 | 2.77 | -13.2% |
| 1997 | 2.23 | -19.2% |
| 1998 | 4.38 | +96.3% |
| 1999 | 6.25 | +42.6% |
| 2000 | 5.11 | -18.3% |
| 2001 | 4.92 | -3.6% |
| 2002 | 7.23 | +46.9% |
| 2003 | 7.93 | +9.7% |
| 2004 | 6.88 | -13.3% |
| 2005 | 5.7 | -17.1% |
| 2006 | 4.83 | -15.2% |
| 2007 | 4.12 | -14.8% |
| 2008 | 3.42 | -16.8% |
| 2009 | 5.22 | +52.3% |
| 2010 | 4.42 | -15.3% |
| 2011 | 3.47 | -21.5% |
| 2012 | 3.3 | -4.8% |
| 2013 | 3.4 | +3.0% |
| 2014 | 3.24 | -4.7% |
| 2015 | 3.3 | +1.8% |
| 2016 | 3.38 | +2.5% |
| 2017 | 3.15 | -6.9% |
| 2018 | 2.81 | -10.8% |
| 2019 | 2.91 | +3.6% |
| 2020 | 5.53 | +90.0% |
| 2021 | 5.41 | -2.1% |
| 2022 | 4.35 | -19.6% |
| 2023 | 2.98 | -31.6% |
| 2024 | 3.01 | +1.1% |
| 2025 | 3.56 | +18.3% |
| 2026 | 3.26 | -8.4% |
| 2027 | 3.16 | -3.0% |
| 2028 | 3.02 | -4.6% |
| 2029 | 2.77 | -8.0% |
| 2030 | 2.68 | -3.5% |
| 2031 | 2.67 | -0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 2.96 | 1.08 | 4.35 | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.78 | 1.33 | 6.25 | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.54 | 3.42 | 7.93 | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.34 | 2.81 | 4.42 | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.7 | 2.77 | 5.53 | 10 |
| 2030s | 2.67 | 2.67 | 2.68 | 2 |
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)
- 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)
- Legislation on sexual harassment in employment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Women can take the same jobs as men 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 56.4% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rate in Hong Kong?
- Unemployment rate in Hong Kong was 2.67 in 2031, according to International Monetary Fund.
- What is the highest unemployment rate recorded in Hong Kong?
- The highest recorded value was 7.93 in 2003.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in Hong Kong?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.08 in 1989.
- How does Hong Kong rank for unemployment rate?
- Hong Kong ranks 19th out of 22 countries with data for 2031.
- Is unemployment rate rising or falling in Hong Kong?
- Over the last ten years it is down 50.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Hong Kong data come from?
- The figures come from International Monetary Fund, published as part of Unemployment rate (9/26/2025). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The World Economic Outlook (WEO) database is created during the biannual WEO exercise, which begins in January and June of each year and results in the April and September/October WEO publication. Selected series from the publication are available in a database format.