Employment agencies should be locally-registered or owned

Some lawmakers are suggesting that recruitment agencies should be owned by locals or registered locally.

The employment agencies bill was discussed by the Third Standing Committee of the Legislative Assembly (AL) during a meeting this week.

Chairman of the AL Third Standing Committee Wong Hin Fai reported after the meeting that lawmakers proposed that employment agency registration applicants should be Macau residents, or that applicants to employment agency registration companies or associations should be companies or associations registered in Macau.

Lawmakers justified their proposal by saying that employment agencies relate to the implementation of labor law, therefore the connection between agency registration applicants and Macau is indispensable.

Government representatives claimed that the government would consider the committee’s concern, and conduct research into the proposal.

In addition to the abovementioned discussion, government representatives said that it would also consider imposing a 180-day transitional period in order to allow existing employment agencies to adjust to the new law.

The new bill also stipulates that employment agencies cannot set up their operational locations within residential or industrial buildings, hotels, public facilities or within parking lots.

According to the government, three of the city’s employment agencies do not currently meet these requirements, as one of them is located in an industrial building, and the other two in hotels. The former pledged to move out of its current location soon. Regarding the latter, one agency said it would cancel its license on July 1, while the second one promised to move out from the hotel on the same date.

The bill also listed a set of requirements for skills and capabilities of agency leaders. Lawmakers hope the government will relax relevant requirements.