Help wanted: In December, vacancies in restaurants soared 110% over a year earlier.

Total employment in surveyed sectors rose 2% over a year earlier to 2,348,700 people in December, while vacancies surged 25% to 36,510, the Census & Statistics Department says.

The import and export trade engaged 510,400 people, followed by the retail trade, engaging 221,900 people, the business-services sector, 210,900 people, and restaurants, 193,900 people.

Increases in employment were recorded in hotels and boarding houses (11.4%), the real-estate sector (9.6%), the recreational and other personal-services sector (6.8%), restaurants (4.6%) and the financing and insurance sector (4.1%).

However, employment at construction sites dipped 11.1%, while the communications sector's went down 4.9%. Jobs in the welfare and community services sector also fell 2.6%.

The month saw rises in vacancies in most of the selected sectors and the major occupation categories. Among the private-sector vacancies, 6,940 were from the import and export trade, 3,950 from the financing and insurance sector, 3,790 from the retail trade and 3,740 from the business-services sector.

Vacancies surged in restaurants (110%), the retail trade (42%), the financing and insurance sector (38%), and the import and export trade (23%).

Analysed by major occupation category, private-sector vacancies were observed mainly for associate professionals with 11,220 jobs reported, service workers and shop-sales workers, 8,840, and clerks, 6,940.