Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Hong Kong, China
Hong Kong, China: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) was 3.7% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Hong Kong, China, 1975–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Hong Kong, China is 3.7%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 22.2% on the previous year and up 10.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Hong Kong, China peaked at 9.2% in 1975 and was at its lowest, 1.1%, in 1989.
That places Hong Kong, China 132nd out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 51 years of available data.
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Hong Kong, China, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 9.2% | — |
| 1976 | 5.0% | -45.5% |
| 1977 | 4.3% | -14.0% |
| 1978 | 2.7% | -37.2% |
| 1979 | 3.4% | +26.1% |
| 1980 | 4.3% | +26.3% |
| 1981 | 3.1% | -27.3% |
| 1982 | 3.6% | +15.8% |
| 1983 | 4.4% | +22.3% |
| 1984 | 3.8% | -13.8% |
| 1985 | 3.2% | -16.8% |
| 1986 | 2.8% | -11.1% |
| 1987 | 1.7% | -38.8% |
| 1988 | 1.4% | -21.5% |
| 1989 | 1.1% | -21.2% |
| 1990 | 1.3% | +23.2% |
| 1991 | 1.8% | +36.7% |
| 1992 | 2.0% | +8.9% |
| 1993 | 2.0% | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 1.9% | -3.1% |
| 1995 | 3.2% | +69.5% |
| 1996 | 2.8% | -12.1% |
| 1997 | 2.2% | -21.6% |
| 1998 | 4.6% | +106.3% |
| 1999 | 6.2% | +36.5% |
| 2000 | 4.9% | -21.3% |
| 2001 | 5.1% | +3.5% |
| 2002 | 7.3% | +43.0% |
| 2003 | 7.9% | +8.0% |
| 2004 | 6.7% | -14.2% |
| 2005 | 5.6% | -17.2% |
| 2006 | 4.8% | -14.5% |
| 2007 | 4.0% | -15.9% |
| 2008 | 3.6% | -11.2% |
| 2009 | 5.3% | +47.8% |
| 2010 | 4.3% | -17.7% |
| 2011 | 3.4% | -21.0% |
| 2012 | 3.3% | -4.0% |
| 2013 | 3.4% | +3.5% |
| 2014 | 3.3% | -3.1% |
| 2015 | 3.3% | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 3.4% | +2.4% |
| 2017 | 3.1% | -7.9% |
| 2018 | 2.8% | -10.2% |
| 2019 | 2.9% | +4.0% |
| 2020 | 5.8% | +99.1% |
| 2021 | 5.2% | -10.9% |
| 2022 | 4.3% | -16.5% |
| 2023 | 2.9% | -31.7% |
| 2024 | 3.0% | +1.3% |
| 2025 | 3.7% | +22.2% |
Hong Kong, China compared with similar countries
- Hong Kong, China's 3.7% is below the median for high income countries, which is 4.9%, 74% of the median. (77 countries reporting)
- Hong Kong, China's 3.7% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 3.5%, 1.0× the median. (34 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 4.9% | 2.7% | 9.2% | 5 |
| 1980s | 2.9% | 1.1% | 4.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.8% | 1.3% | 6.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.5% | 3.6% | 7.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.3% | 2.8% | 4.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.1% | 2.9% | 5.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Hong Kong, China
- 131 Germany 3.8% compare
- 133 Bangladesh 3.6% compare
- 134 Bulgaria 3.5% compare
- 135 Kyrgyzstan 3.5% compare
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 unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Hong Kong, China?
- Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Hong Kong, China was 3.7% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Hong Kong, China?
- The highest recorded value was 9.2% in 1975.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Hong Kong, China?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.1% in 1989.
- How does Hong Kong, China rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- Hong Kong, China ranks 132nd out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) 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 rising.
- 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 Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country.