The "Hong Kong Standard Industrial Classification Version 2.0" (HSIC V2.0) is a statistical classification framework for classifying economic units in Hong Kong into relevant industry classes based on the nature of their major economic activities. HSIC V2.0 has been used by the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) in the compilation, analysis and dissemination of industry statistics since 2009.
HSIC V2.0 is devised and maintained by C&SD by modelling on the “International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities (ISIC) Revision 4” promulgated by the United Nations Statistics Division and adapting to the local economic situation.
HSIC V2.0 follows a 5-level hierarchical system. The top level categories are called Industry Sections (represented by 1-digit alphabet code). Under each Industry Section, there are different second level categories called Industry Divisions (represented by 2-digit numeric code), under which more detailed third level Industry Groups (3-digit numeric code), fourth level Industry Classes (4-digit numeric code) and fifth level Industry Sub-classes (6-digit numeric code) are available for refined classification. The hierarchical structure of HSIC V2.0 is summarised below:
|
Level
|
No. of Categories | HSIC Code Format [Range] |
Example |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Top level:
Industry Section |
21 | 1-digit alphabet [A-U] |
G - Import/export, wholesale and retail trades |
| Second level: Industry Division |
88 | 2-digit numeral [01-99] |
47 - Retail trade |
| Third level: Industry Group |
221 | 3-digit numeral [011-990] |
472 - Retail sale of food, beverages and tobacco in specialised stores |
| Fourth level: Industry Class |
483 | 4-digit numeral [0110-9900] |
4721 - Retail sale of food in specialised stores |
| Fifth level: Industry Sub-class |
1001 | 6-digit numeral [011000-990000] |
472105 - Retail sale of fruits and vegetables, fresh |
The search tool and publications of HSIC V2.0 are listed below and users can access them by clicking the links of the titles.
|
Title
|
Description |
|---|---|
| An online search tool which provides functions of searching the HSIC V2.0 industry codes and titles. |
|
| A booklet which provides a full list of HSIC V2.0 industry codes and titles. |
|
| A manual which contains detailed classification lists and explanatory notes for industries covered under HSIC V2.0. |
The first version of HSIC, which was modelled on the then ISIC Revision 2, was introduced in 1990. Subsequently, an updated version of HSIC V1.1 was implemented in 2001. The current HSIC V2.0 was released in 2008 and has been commonly used since 2009.
Concordance tables between HSIC V2.0 and HSIC V1.1 are also available on this website.