Lawmaker urges stricter exit policy for non-resident workers, questions talent scheme

Lawmaker Ron Lam has called on the government to accelerate the replacement of non-resident workers with locals and to clarify details of the Talent Recruitment Programme, arguing that rising youth unemployment and disproportionate reliance on imported labor are straining the job market.

In a written inquiry, Lam highlighted that in the second quarter of 2025, the unemployment rate among local residents stood at 2.5%, amounting to 7,300 people.

“Over half of the unemployed are aged 25 to 44, with the majority previously employed in clerical, service, and retail-related positions – sectors that continue to employ large numbers of non-resident workers,” he wrote.

The lawmaker pointed to government data showing that as of March this year, the six gaming concessionaires and their affiliates employed 79,187 local workers and 32,950 non-residents. While the number of locals grew by just 3% compared with December 2022, non-resident staff surged by 77%.

By June, the figure for non-residents had continued to climb, with four concessionaires and affiliates each employing 30% or more non-resident staff.

“The government has stated that ‘it is not appropriate to impose fixed ratios or undue restrictions on company staffing,’ yet when renewing the concession of Macau Slot, it required the company to cut non-resident staff by 15%,” Lam noted.

“Why is such a policy not extended to the six gaming concessionaires, where reducing the nearly 33,000 non-residents by proportion could free up significant opportunities for locals?”

He also cited figures showing that, as of April 2025, Macau had 155,658 non-resident workers (excluding domestic helpers). While 14,467 SMEs employed 70,616 of them (45%), just 3% of large enterprises hired 85,042 (55%).

Lam questioned whether the government would “tighten non-resident worker policies for large enterprises – particularly in banking, healthcare, IT, and clerical roles – where locals are both willing and capable of working.”

Turning to the Talent Recruitment Programme, Lam noted that of the 755 people admitted under the first two phases, only 3% were “high-end talents” and 16% “outstanding talents,” with more than 80% classified as “senior professional talents.”

He warned that many of these positions, concentrated in education, culture, sports, and finance, could be filled by locals.

“How does this structure fulfill the stated goal of attracting leaders and investors?” he asked, adding that “a GPA of 3.6 from a local university in certain fields already grants 130 points – enough to qualify for the scheme.”

Lam urged the government to “reinstate regular publication of this information and disclose details about the positions and industries in which these individuals are employed.”