Lawmaker’s agenda | Wang Sai Man wants mechanism to reemploy stranded TNRs

Lawmaker Wang Sai Man is urging the government to create a temporary mechanism to handle the cases of the many non-resident workers (TNRs) who have lost their jobs as a consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic crisis.
In a spoken inquiry delivered yesterday at the Legislative Assembly during the period before the agenda, Wang noted that, due to the effects of the pandemic on the economy, “many non-resident workers were made redundant, some did have their contracts renewed, others did not receive the renewal authorization [on time] and, as international flights were suspended, many were unable to return to their place of origin, so they were left with no other option besides staying in Macau.”
The lawmaker also added that this state of affairs, combined with the loss of income, presents risks to society, as the stranded workers might engage in illegal work as a means of subsistence.
“During their stay in Macau, these workers have no income to support their living and so the probability of starting to engage in illegal work activities is high, with some daring to risk their life by performing these illegal activities, which constitutes a risk to public security,” Wang said.
To avoid this problem and simultaneously alleviate the pressure on the local micro and small sized companies, which cannot recruit the necessary manpower to operate, the lawmaker is proposing that the government consider these TNRs as exceptions to the new law for the recruitment of TNRs, allowing local companies and families to recruit them as a means of reemployment.
Wang also noted that the solution previously provided by the Labour Affairs Bureau, which suggested the recruitment of TNRs from the mainland instead, is considered ineffective by most employers, who claim that the “salary, benefits and local work environment are not attractive” for workers from the mainland, namely those involved in domestic work.