Easing off: The seasonally adjusted jobless rate has fallen to a four-year low of 5.3%.

The seasonally adjusted jobless rate fell to a four-year low of 5.3% in the August-October period, from 5.5% in the July-September period. The underemployment rate also dropped, from 2.6% to 2.5%.

Total employment grew by 24,400 to an all-time high of 3,416,000, with total labour force rising to 3,609,000 from 3,597,300.

The number of unemployed dropped by 12,700 to 193,000 - the first time in four years the number has fallen below the 200,000 mark. The number of underemployed also dropped, from 95,000 to 90,000.

A drop in unemployment was seen in the restaurants, hotels, manufacturing, decoration and maintenance, and transport sectors, while underemployment rate falls were mainly seen in the foundation and superstructure construction, restaurants and miscellaneous personal-services sectors.

Employment expansion

The Census & Statistics Department said the jobless situation improved further in the August-October period as employment growth continued to outstrip labour-force growth.

The near-term outlook will depend on the state of business activity and job creation in the corporate sector in the run-up to the Christmas and New Year holidays, the department said.

In the first 10 months, the Labour Department received  356,878 private-sector vacancies, up 20% over the full-year figure of 297,186 in 2004.

In the same period, the department placed 93,029 job-seekers into jobs, up 8% over the full-year figure of 86,257 in 2004.

To boost employment services for job-seekers in remote districts, the department will set up job centres in Yuen Long and North District next year.