The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell 0.1 percentage point from the July-September period to 3% in the August-October quarter, a low level last seen in early 1998, the Census & Statistics Department announced today.
The underemployment rate remained unchanged at 1.1%.
Total employment stood at 3,837,100, about the same as the July-September period and the labour force decreased by around 4,900 to 3,960,700.
There were 123,600 unemployed people and 44,200 underemployed people.
Secretary for Labour & Welfare Dr Law Chi-kwong said: "Many economic sectors saw a decline in unemployment rate over the preceding three-month period. On a year-on-year comparison, the improvement in unemployment situation across different sectors was even more apparent."
He said the labour market is expected to remain tight in the near term and the Government will monitor the potential impact of external uncertainties on the local economy.
