Non-Chinese professionals face workplace barriers, say residents

Macau’s job market may be leaving non-Chinese professionals behind, according to residents who spoke to the Times following a letter to the editor, published on August 29.

Workers from various industries say they face discrimination based on language skills and nationality, alongside cost-cutting measures that limit opportunities and job security.

One resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said that indefinite contracts have not offered real protection from unfair treatment or exclusion from the city’s job market.

The local resident, employed in their position for over six years, initially secured the role due to fluent English skills and professional qualifications. However, as projects increasingly required Chinese-speaking staff – allegedly at the client’s request, according to the resident’s supervisor – the resident faced workplace pressure, mobbing, and subtle hints to resign.

Interestingly, this shift coincided with the hiring of employees fluent in Cantonese or Mandarin but lacking advanced English skills, including some holding Hong Kong blue cards or commuting from mainland China.

Language requirements, according to sources familiar with the situation, were perceived as a “justification for replacing existing full-time staff with less expensive outsourced labor.”

Progressively, newer non-resident hires with Chinese language skills were brought in as the company downsized, leaving the resident sidelined and underutilized.

“I feel discriminated against, and I feel without protection of my rights,” the individual lamented to the Times.

Over the course of the year, the resident described a steep decline in working conditions, including reduced workdays, a salary cut of over 35%, unpaid leave, and “indirect pressure to resign.” Despite offering to help with projects, the resident was told there was no work, while younger colleagues worked overtime.

After several years in this role, the resident described an increasing sense of workplace isolation, noting that initially both expatriate and local colleagues worked together in a roughly two-to-one ratio, but the number of Western professionals has since declined sharply, leaving only a small minority.

When asked about seeking assistance, the resident said no help was requested from the Labour Affairs Bureau (DSAL) for fear of losing future employment in Macau’s specialized fields.

Fearing retaliation and damage to future job prospects, the resident avoided filing formal complaints and expressed deep sadness and worry, stating, “Macau is a small place… if I report or challenge my employer, it will be very hard because the sector is even smaller. I have no rights. I can only accept it. I’m very sad and very worried. Of course, I also have a family.”

Language barriers also impacted opportunities outside their current workplace.

The resident interviewed for jobs requiring only English but faced rejection due to limited Cantonese or Mandarin proficiency despite meeting experience requirements.

“I think there is no future for non-Chinese-speaking persons in Macau […] I am learning Chinese, but achieving professional-level Chinese is not easy. I can learn to speak and have a conversation but not to chair a professional working meeting and produce meeting minutes in Chinese.”

A separate resident in another industry mirrored these experiences to the Times, reporting repeated job rejections despite meeting experience requirements.

Language barriers remained a consistent hurdle, with English requirements overshadowed by demands for Cantonese or Mandarin proficiency.

Unfortunately, these residents’ situations underscore the challenges faced by foreign professionals in Macau’s job market, where language proficiency is increasingly a gatekeeper and labor protections appear difficult to access or enforce.

Although employers often stress their commitment to workplace inclusivity and building diverse talent pools to meet client demands, protections for non-Chinese speakers remain elusive – especially when companies prioritize cost-cutting or face management pressures.

MDT has requested comment from DSAL with formal questions seeking its stance on workplace discrimination related to language barriers, complaint handling, and measures for inclusive employment support.

Despite follow-ups, no response has been received as of the time of writing.

Similarly, the Human Resources departments of six casino concessionaires were approached for comment, but no reply had been received by press time.

Under Macau Basic Law, discrimination based on language or ethnicity is prohibited.