LegCo Panel on Manpower
Population Growth and Employment

Population Growth

The population of Hong Kong increased by 9% or at an average annual rate of 2.8% from 6.3 million in end-1995 to 6.8 million in end-1998. Broadly speaking, there are four main components of the population change :

  1. natural increase (i.e. births minus deaths);

  2. movement of Hong Kong permanent residents to and from places other than Mainland/Macau;

  3. one-way permit holders from Mainland entering Hong Kong; and

  4. movement of Hong Kong non-permanent residents and visitors to and from Hong Kong.
2. Table shows population growth over the past few years broken down by the above four components. The population growth over the period was mainly attributed to inflows of one-way permit holders and Hong Kong permanent residents from places other than Mainland/Macau. The former accounted for 30% of the population growth from end-1997 to end-1998, while the latter accounted for 48%. Only 11% of the population growth was accounted for by natural increase during the same period.

Table 1: Population growth by component, end-1995 to end-1998



end-1995 -
end-1996

end-1996 -
end-1997

end-1997 -
end-1998

(1)

Population growth [(2) + (3)]

151 252

195 845

188 453

(2)

Natural increase

32 815

28 106

20 921

(3)

Balance of arrivals and departures #

+118 437

+167 739

+167 532

(a) HK permanent residents to/from places other than Mainland/Macau

+63 942

+127 036

+89 867

(b) One-way permit holders

+61 179

+50 286

+56 039

(c) Other movements

-6 684

-9 583

+21 626

Note : # '+' indicates a net inflow while '-' indicates a net outflow.

3.Table 2 shows population change between end-1997 and end-1998 by component by age by sex. The majority of the population growth came from the two working age groups of 35-44 and 45-54. Within these two age groups, there were somewhat more males than females.

Table 2 : Population change by component by sex by age, end-1997 to end-1998

Balance of arrivals and departures


Sex/Age group

Change in the local population

(including births, deaths and aging)

HK permanent residents to/from places other than Mainland/Macau

One-way permit holders

Other movements

Total

Male






0 - 14

-18 293

- 397

15 486

-2 084

-5 288

15 - 24

-3 308

741

2 109

-551

-1 009

25 - 34

-19 502

15 391

317

4 837

1 043

35 - 44

11 857

22 177

711

4 211

38 956

45 - 54

26 210

12 258

364

2 990

41 822

55 - 64

-2 399

5 984

189

969

4 743

65 +

14 960

3 966

204

-479

18 651

Total

9 525

60 120

19 380

9 893

98 918

Female





0 - 14

-18 074

-283

14 685

-879

-4 551

15 - 24

-7 985

1 027

2 419

12 730

8 191

25 - 34

-22 238

8 205

3 601

8 484

-1 948

35 - 44

19 809

7 103

9 036

-4 740

31 208

45 - 54

30 033

6 447

3 305

-997

38 788

55 - 64

-4 119

4 126

2 351

-1 187

1 171

65 +

13 970

3 122

1 262

-1 678

16 676

Total

11 396

29 747

36 659

11 733

89 535

4. Analysed by component of the population change, the increase in population of working age (15 and above) for males was largely attributable to net inflow of Hong Kong permanent residents from places other than Mainland/Macau, and net inflow of persons other than Hong Kong permanent residents. The former category was likely to constitute returnees such as returning emigrants and students returning to Hong Kong after overseas study. The latter category mainly included movements of Hong Kong non-permanent residents and visitors, including in particular expatriates and their family members, and foreign workers.

5. As to the increase in population of working age for females, it was likewise largely attributable to net inflow of Hong Kong permanent residents from places other than Mainland/Macau, and net inflow of Hong Kong non-permanent residents and visitors. While the former category was likely to comprise returnees, the latter mainly included expatriates and foreign workers, in particular foreign domestic helpers. Moreover, there was a distinct increase in inflow of one-way permit holders from the Mainland, most of whom were believed to have come for family reunion.

6. As to people in the age group of 0-14, significant increases were observed for both sexes in respect of one-way permit holders from the Mainland. The majority of them were children of Hong Kong permanent residents, again believed to have come for family reunion.

Impact on Employment

7. Statistics on the labour force of Hong Kong are collected through the General Household Survey (GHS). Since the GHS cannot produce detailed employment statistics by different categories of population (such as returning emigrants, one-way permit holders, expatriates, etc), it is difficult to study in detail the exact relationship between population growth and employment.

8. The higher unemployment rate in 1998 was associated with a much faster growth in the labour force than the employed. The growth in the labour force was in turn associated with an increase in the population of working age, particularly for males. As shown in Table 2 above, the one-way permit holders were mainly children and middle-aged females. As such, they would contribute only to a limited extent to the growth of labour force. More likely, the growth in labour force was due to the net inflow of Hong Kong permanent residents from places other than Mainland/Macau and the inflow of persons other than Hong Kong permanent residents.

9. The Census and Statistics Department is planning to conduct a special topics enquiry via the GHS to collect information on returned emigrants. The collected information will facilitate a more detailed study of the impact of returned emigrants on the employment and unemployment situation of Hong Kong.

Education and Manpower Bureau
March 1999