Hong Kong's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose from 3.8% in June–August 2026 to 3.9% in July–September 2026, according to provisional labour force figures the Census and Statistics Department released on October 22, 2026. The underemployment rate also increased, from 1.9% to 2.0% over the same comparison.

Total employment rose by around 3,000, from 3,652,000 to 3,655,000, while the labour force grew by around 4,100, from 3,805,900 to 3,810,000. Unemployed persons (not seasonally adjusted) increased by around 1,100 to 155,000, and underemployed persons by around 2,900 to 75,000. By industry, unemployment rose most distinctly in social work activities and in warehousing and support activities for transportation; underemployment increases were mainly in food and beverage service activities and retail.

Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun attributed the slight rise to continued entry of fresh graduates and school leavers into the labour market, and said economic expansion, improving business sentiment and visitor-arrival growth were expected to support employment. The survey covered a sample of some 25,000 households, or 65,000 persons.