Lawmaker expresses concern over outdated employment assistance

The government is offering a subsidy for hiring first-time job seekers to encourage employers to hire youth without work experience, but a lawmaker has called for updates to the program, noting that the local “Employment Assistance and Training Regulations” have been in effect for over 20 years.

In the early years after the handover, the government enacted the Employment Assistance and Training Regulations in 2004 to alleviate residents’ employment difficulties, significantly promoting stable local employment.

Lawmaker Joey Lao noted that, more than 20 years since their implementation, certain provisions may no longer align with Macau’s evolving economic and social needs, stating, “Support for youth employment urgently requires strengthening.”

Referencing the subsidy for employing first-time job seekers, Lao pointed out the subsidy standards for employers hiring first-time job seekers under 26 with no work experience: those hiring high school graduates receive six months of subsidies totaling MOP12,000, while those hiring graduates with higher education receive MOP15,000 over the same period.

“From a purchasing power perspective, MOP2,500 from 20 years ago has significantly less value today,” he stated, questioning the Macau government’s decision to provide monthly subsidies of MOP5,000 to youth working in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area, with the age limit extended to 35.

“This program reflects the government’s commitment to encouraging youth integration into regional development, yet it starkly highlights the relative lag in Macau’s current systems.”

His recommendations include a systematic review and revision of the regulations, drawing insights from the Greater Bay Area subsidy program.

He advocates for a reasonable increase in the subsidy for hiring first-time job seekers and calls for the relaxation of age requirements to better support young job seekers.

Reviewing relevant records, authorities have never proactively released data on the youth first-time job seekers subsidy. The latest figures, published three years ago following inquiries from a lawmaker, indicated that in 2021, subsidies totaling MOP151,000 were disbursed to 22 employers.

Meanwhile, during Monday’s Legislative Assembly (AL) session, legislator Nick Lei questioned whether the unemployment rate accurately reflects the actual situation. In response, the Statistics and Census Service Bureau (DSEC) acknowledged the need for improvement in its statistical methods. “We are refining the content of the labor force survey to enrich the data collected,” Pong Kai Fu, acting director of the bureau, stated, adding that the bureau will gather information on respondents with second jobs, including the industries in which they work.

According to him, the bureau is enhancing its statistical surveys for individuals working in Macau but not residing here, including estimates to provide a clearer picture of employment. “We will utilize electronic means, such as the ‘Macao One Account,’ to facilitate data and information submission by respondents,” Pong noted.