Lawmaker calls for stronger measures against illegal workers

Lawmaker Che Sai Wang has urged the government to enforce tighter controls, citing the dozens of non-residents, including mainland students, caught working illegally in local workplaces.

To safeguard fair competition in the labor market and protect local workers’ rights, the government has long relied on Law No. 10/2020 on the Employment of Non-Resident Workers and related immigration regulations to regulate the hiring and employment of foreign staff.

In June, a joint inspection at the souvenir sales area of a concert at Galaxy revealed 68 non-resident workers allegedly performing illegal work, of whom 60 were mainland students enrolled in local institutions.

“This incident exposes the hidden nature of illegal employment and the gaps in the system,” the lawmaker said in an inquiry to the government, noting that such practices, if left unchecked, could undermine local labor rights, weaken public trust in the law, and disrupt labor order.

Official statistics highlight the scale of the problem.

In April, inspections of 411 sites identified 80 suspicious workers; in May, 68 were detected across 310 sites; and in June, 153 were found at 387 locations.

The lawmaker pointed out that illegal employment peaks during events and periods of high visitor traffic, while enforcement gaps persist.

“Volunteer programs are sometimes misused as cover for illegal work, and some companies evade checks by fabricating technical guidance agreements,” he said.

To address the issue, the lawmaker proposed multiple preventive and enforcement measures. “The government could establish a network monitoring system to track online recruitment and social media job ads, strengthen identity verification, and use data analysis to prevent and tackle cross-border illegal labor,” he said.

He also urged authorities to review inspection frequency, resource allocation, and technology use at border checkpoints, major event sites, construction projects, and high-risk industries.

In addition, he recommended a “blacklist system” to record companies and agencies that hire or refer illegal workers, restricting their applications or participation in related businesses for a defined period.

“Illegal labor not only affects wages and employment opportunities for Macau residents but also raises human rights and safety concerns for workers without legal status,” the lawmaker said. “It is essential to strengthen both preventive education and enforcement measures to maintain a fair labor market and uphold public interest.”