On the job: More work in the construction sector helped keep the January-March jobless rate stable at 4.3%.

The January-March jobless rate remained stable at 4.3%, the lowest level in over eight and a half years, the Census & Statistics Department says.

The Labour Department received 52,701 vacancies in March, up 5.3% on the same month last year.

Falls in the jobless rate were mainly seen in the amusement and recreational services, communications and real estate sectors. Increases were more apparent in the construction, manufacturing and sanitary services sectors.

Underemployment stable

The underemployment rate also held stable at 2.2%. Falls were mainly seen in the sanitary services and communications sectors, offsetting the increases in the amusement and recreational services, and the wholesale trade sectors.

Total employment fell 11,200 from December-February, to 3.46 million. The labour force fell by about 5,500 to 3.61 million.

January-March saw the number of jobless people rise 5,700 to 152,500. The number of underemployed people held stable at 80,500.

While the total labour supply fell in January-March, this was more than offset by a larger reduction in total employment owing to the slackened business activity and labour demand after the Lunar New Year holidays. As a result, the number of unemployed people rose back slightly, after declining for six consecutive periods.

More placements

In this year's first quarter, the Labour Department achieved 27,328 placements, a slight rise of 1.1% from a year earlier.

The near term employment outlook will hinge on the overall economic performance and in particular the pace of job creation in the corporate sector, relative to the labour supply growth.