Finance Secretary claims gov’t efforts have supported youth employment

The Secretary for Economy and Finance, Anton Tai, has attributed the decline in the unemployment rate to the authorities’ various initiatives to support youth employment, highlighting the effectiveness of these efforts.

At yesterday’s plenary session of the Legislative Assembly (AL), several lawmakers expressed concerns about local residents’ employment rights. Among them, lawmaker Ella Lei specifically referenced Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai’s statement, questioning the government’s assertion that “Macau residents will be given priority in employment opportunities for positions they are capable of and willing to undertake.”

As of September this year, the financial sector employed 881 foreign workers, mostly in non-professional roles. Lawmaker Ella Lei asked, “Is it that we refuse to do the work, we lack the skills, or what is the situation?” She called on authorities to clarify the employment landscape and to set specific targets and job types for local employment opportunities in financial institutions and higher education.

“We lack visibility on the number of non-local workers versus locals available for these positions,” she stated, calling for a focus on creating local jobs through outsourcing services and projects. Lei also highlighted the need for the government to prioritize specific groups facing employment challenges, such as middle-aged workers and persons with disabilities, and called for clarity on plans to support their employment next year.

In response, the Secretary emphasized the effectiveness of the government’s employment support initiatives across three key sectors, including retail, administration, and construction. 

According to Tai, this year the government facilitated job-matching referrals for 8,700 individuals, with approximately 50% of those referrals comprising youth under 34 years old. Additionally, half of the assistance was directed at middle-aged, young, and working-age adults. The Secretary also noted that 1,600 vocational certification courses were offered, attracting nearly 48,000 participants. To further assist Macau residents in securing employment, an integrated training platform has been established and is already being used by 800 individuals, offering 70 courses for enrollment.

Tai also emphasized the authorities’ management of non-local workers, noting that in the construction industry, the number of local residents employed has risen while unemployment has decreased. 

He pointed out that efforts are underway to gradually reduce the number of non-local workers in the financial sector. “Recently, we organized a large-scale job matching event for the financial and banking industries, offering 200 job opportunities, and 400 local residents registered to participate,” he stated.

Notably, the authorities will establish a “skills passport” on the vocational training platform to consolidate skill certificates and implement a “customized training system” to align talent with corporate needs, allowing for the immediate addition of relevant courses. This aims to integrate vocational training, individual skills, and job requirements seamlessly.

‘Local residents less inclined to take

entry-level jobs’ 

Meanwhile, in response to other lawmakers, including Leong Sun Iok, who questioned the government’s efforts to refine the non-local worker approval system, Tai noted that the current process and operational guidelines will be optimized. He stated that approval decisions will take into account factors such as enterprise scale, operational status, and local hiring conditions.

Through cross-departmental data connectivity and on-site verification, the approval process will become more precise and effective. “The human resource requirements of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) now differ significantly from those of large enterprises,” Tai acknowledged. The Labour Affairs Bureau added that “distinct differences in human resource development across emerging and traditional industries lead to varying approval approaches.” Among these challenges are “entry-level jobs that local residents are less inclined to take,” particularly high-intensity, shift-based roles such as cleaning and housekeeping.