Hong Kong Census and Statistics Department Monday announced that the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate declined from 5.1 percent in February-April 2006to a 57-month low of 4.9 percent in March-May period.

A government spokesman noted that overall labor demand continued to increase in March-May 2006, along with the sustained revival in economic activity, adding that the total number of employment surged to a new high of 3.44 million, according to a government press release on Monday.

He said the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell below the 5 percent mark to 4.9 percent for the first time since mid-2001.

Further improvement in the labor market situation will hinge on the continued pick-up in the economy leading to greater job creation for absorbing the new batch of fresh graduates and school leavers entering the labor force, he said.

The spokesman pointed out that the labor market remained buoyant. In May, the Labor Department captured 40,801 private sector vacancies, up 14.3 percent over the same month last year.

He said, comparing March-May 2006 with February-April 2006, decreases in the unemployment rate were mainly observed in the construction (especially decoration and maintenance), sanitary services and communications sectors.

To facilitate fresh university graduates to enter the job market, the department will hold a special two-day job fair for them at the City Hall on June 28-29.

The sample survey for March-May 2006 involved some 23,000 households or 73,000 people, selected in accordance with a scientifically designed sampling scheme to represent the population of Hong Kong.

(Xinhua News Agency June 20, 2006)