Labour force, Employment and Unemployment
1st Quarter 2008
Highlights

1. The unemployment rate for the first quarter of 2008 is estimated at 8.2%, higher than the rate of 7.2% at the fourth quarter 2007 but lower than the rate of 9.6% at the first quarter of 2007.

2. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for the first quarter of 2008 works out to 7.6%, lower than the rate of 8.1% at the fourth quarter of 2007 and 9.0% at the first quarter of 2007.

3. The table below gives the main estimates of labour force, employment and unemployment

  1st Quarter  2007  4th Quarter  2007 Year 2007 1st Quarter 2008  Year 20081/ (Forecast)
  Labour Force 538,100  546,100  548,900  553,800  554,500 
  Male 350,400  352,400  353,600  352,800  355,300 
  Female 187,700  193,700  195,300  201,000  199,200 
  Employment 486,700  506,800  502,100  508,200  510,000 
  Male 329,400  338,100  335,000  334,900  338,700 
  Female 157,300  168,700  167,100  173,300  171,300 
  Unemployment 51,400  39,300  46,800  45,600  44,500 
  Male 21,000  14,300  18,600  17,900  16,600 
  Female 30,400  25,000  28,200  27,700  27,900 
  Unemployment rate (%)          
  Both Sexes 9.6    7.2    8.5    8.2    8.0   
  Male 6.0    4.1    5.3    5.1    4.7   
  Female 16.2    12.9    14.4    13.8    14.0   

4.   The main characteristics of the unemployed at the first quarter of 2008 were: 

(i)  The 45,600 unemployed comprised 17,900 males (39%) and 27,700 females (61%). 

(ii)  Around 17,600 or about 39% of the unemployed were below 25 years. 

(iii)  About 46% (20,900) of the unemployed were single. Among males, the majority (13,100 or 73%) was single while among females, the majority (19,800 or 72%) was ever married (including widowed, divorced or separated). 

(iv)  Some 9,900 or 22% had not reached the Certificate of Primary Education (CPE) level or equivalent and a further 18,800 (41%) did not have the Cambridge School Certificate (SC) or equivalent.  

(v)  Around 12,200 (27%) had been looking for work for more than one year.  

(vi)  About 30,500 (67%) had working experience and 15,100 (33%) were looking for a job for the first time. 

(vii)  Around 15,600 (34%) were registered at the Employment Service. 

(viii)  There were 7,900 (17%) young persons aged 16 to 24 years, not yet married and looking for a first job. Some 2,400 (31%) of them had not passed SC. 

(ix)   Ever married (including widowed, divorced or separated) unemployed persons aged 25 to 44 years and having worked before numbered 12,100. Among them, about 9,900 (82%) had not passed SC. 

(x)    5,200 or 11% of the unemployed were heads of households. 

(xi)    4,500 (10%) lived in households with no employed persons.  

5.      Unemployment rate for the year 2008 is projected at 8.0% compared to 8.5% in 2007.

June 2008

More: Labour force, Employment and Unemployment – First Quarter 2008

Introduction

Table 1 – Actual and seasonally adjusted quarterly unemployment rates, Q1 2006 – Q1 2008

Table 2 - Estimated labour force, employment, unemployment and inactive population by sex, 1st quarter 2007 & 2008

Table 3 - Quarterly estimates of labour force, employment, unemployment and inactive population by sex, 2005 - 2008

Table 4 - Percentage distribution of the employed population by industrial sector and sex, 1st quarter 2007 & 2008

Table 5 - Percentage distribution of the employed population by occupation group and sex, 1st quarter 2007 & 2008

Table 6 - Percentage distribution of the employed population by employment status and sex, 1st quarter 2007 & 2008

Table 7 - Percentage distribution of the employed population by sex and number of hours worked during the survey reference week, 1st quarter 2007 & 2008

Table 8 - Percentage distribution of the unemployed population by age and sex, 1st quarter 2007 & 2008

Table 9 - Percentage distribution of the unemployed population by marital status and sex, 1st quarter 2007 & 2008

Table 10 - Percentage distribution of the unemployed population by educational attainment and sex, 1st quarter 2007 & 2008

Table 11 - Percentage distribution of the unemployed population by duration of unemployment and sex, 1st quarter 2007 & 2008

Table 12 - Percentage distribution of the unemployed population with work experience by industrial sector, 1st quarter 2007 & 2008

Table 13 - Percentage distribution of the unemployed population by job search method and sex, 1st quarter 2007 & 2008

Table 14 - Percentage distribution of the inactive population by inactivity status and sex, 1st quarter 2007 & 2008

Annex

 

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