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- Unemployment Rate Edges Up: The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for the period ending January 2026 has increased to 3.9% (up from 3.8%).
- Sector Impact: Increases were most notable in the insurance, construction, and financing sectors.
- Silver Lining: Youth unemployment (ages 20–29) actually eased to 7%, its lowest level since mid-2025.
- Minimum Wage Gazetted: The government officially gazetted the new $43.1 per hour rate last Friday (Feb 20).
- Timeline: It will be tabled at the Legislative Council this Wednesday (Feb 25) for approval, with an effective date of May 1, 2026.
- Record-Keeping Change: Starting May 1, the monthly salary threshold for exempting employers from keeping detailed attendance records will rise to $17,600.
- LegCo Manpower Meeting (Today): The Legislative Council meets this morning to discuss reforms to the Employees Retraining Board (ERB) and strategies for attracting global talent to maintain HK's competitiveness.
- Mandatory Care-Worker Briefing: Today is the registration deadline for the Labour Department’s mandatory briefing for imported care workers taking place on Feb 27. Employers must attend to avoid a one-year moratorium on future labor importation.
- Post-Holiday Safety Alert: The Labour Department issued a specific appeal today urging contractors to conduct thorough safety checks as construction sites fully resume after the festive break.