Gov’t urged to enhance policy to bolster diversification

Lawmaker Zheng Anting has called on the government to enhance its policies, particularly in talent acquisition and retention, to promote the adequate diversification of the local economy.

Zheng’s call was made during a Legislative Assembly session yesterday, which included a Q&A session with the government on several matters.

For Zheng, “talent is the cornerstone of development and social progress,” and to achieve the goal of economic diversification, “it is necessary to rely on the joint efforts of talent pools from different sectors and specializations, to provide solid support for local economic reconversion and long-term development,” he said.

To improve the results of previous policies aimed at recruiting talent from abroad and promoting the return of residents studying or working overseas, the lawmaker wants the government to optimize the talent database, ensuring that the data is up-to-date and accurate.

Concurrently, he also called for a periodic evaluation mechanism to assess the effectiveness of the current talent policy and to serve as a reference for adjusting and optimizing it according to the actual situation.

In response, the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, O Lam, said that to encourage the return of qualified staff, the government has established a “Qualified Staff Information Registry” system that is used to gather information on local qualified staff who are abroad and to strengthen contact with them with a view to their return.

The Secretary noted that to obtain more accurate and updated information, the Talent Development Committee (CDQQ) utilizes the Macao One Account to track these individuals and collect relevant data.

Despite the responses provided, no measures or policies were mentioned on how to effectively attract qualified staff to work in Macau.

Responding to the matter of evaluating the effectiveness of the qualified staff policy, O Lam noted, “According to legal provisions, the first legislative review will take place four years after the policy enters into force, with a regular review to be carried out every four years thereafter.”

She also added that after the conclusion of each edition of the Qualified Staff Recruitment Programs, the CDQQ “verifies their implementation status and effectiveness, making adjustments with each new edition.”

She remarked that regarding recruitment, the principle of “accurately recruiting, retaining, and making good use of qualified staff” will be applied, taking into account the development strategies and distribution of industries in the country and Macau, providing complementary services to support the recruitment of qualified staff, enhancing the overall effectiveness of recruitment and creating a place for the aggregation of outstanding international qualified staff.

The Secretary also claimed that the Education and Youth Development Bureau (DSEDJ) has been studying the local market’s needs and has been trying to guide local students on which careers are likely to have higher professional demand.

She stated that DSEDJ will collaborate with the Labour Affairs Bureau to promote a guidebook to help students find jobs and better choose their career paths.

Still, several lawmakers noted that it is precisely those who are more qualified and have completed their university studies who are having the most difficulty finding their place in the job market.

In response, O Lam again did not provide any insight into potential new policies from the government, remarking only that the government “also promotes the professional development of young people by expanding the coverage and number of vacancies of companies or institutions participating in the ‘Macao Youth Professional Development Plan,’” and also “encourages residents to obtain recognized accreditations from national or international institutions to strengthen their professional skills and promote their professional advancement.”

She added that the government will also create conditions and provide support for young physicians, retired elite athletes, and teachers for their promotion and retraining.

Regarding policies aimed at the younger generation, Kong Chi Meng, director of DSEDJ, stated that the number of vacancies for internships for local students in the mainland will be increased to 520, with the goal of training and preparing local students to work within the Greater Bay Area.