Total employment in the private sector has increased by 2.2%, or 54,400 people, in September compared with a year earlier, while the total number of vacancies was 47,760, representing a fall of 9%, or 4,550, over last year.

The Census & Statistics Department released the figures today.

A total of 2,488,900 people were employed in selected sectors in September - import and export trade engaged 518,100; retail trade, 241,100; the business-services sector, 240,300; and restaurants, 210,500.

Increases in employment were recorded in the financing and insurance sector (5.8% or 10,300), education services and research institutes (5.7% or 8,000), the medical, health and related-services sector (5.1% or 4,300), the communications sector (5% or 1,500) and hotels and boarding houses (4.8% or 1,500).

Employment fell in the manufacturing sector (-3% or -4,800), at construction sites (-2.1% or -1,100) and in wholesale trade (-1.8% or -1,200).

Import-export vacancies up

Among the 47,760 private-sector vacancies, 6,150 were from the import and export trade, 5,800 from the business-services sector, 5,630 from the retail trade, 4,860 from the recreational and other personal services sector, and 4,760 from restaurants.

Declines were mainly in the financing and insurance sector (-26% or -1,380), the import and export trade ( -18% or -1,310) and restaurants (-18% or -1,030).

Increases were seen in the medical, health and related services sector (55% or 730), the retail trade (10% or 500), the recreational and other personal-services sector (10% or 450) and the sanitary and similar services sector (47% or 270).