Non-resident worker recruitment requests decline by 13%

The number of recruitment requests for non-resident workers dropped by nearly 13% in 2024, following a significant surge in 2023, according to the Labour Affairs Bureau (DSAL).

According to data provided to Portuguese outlet Tribuna de Macau, a total of 29,219 requests were processed in 2024, marking a 12.7% decrease compared to the previous year.

This decline contrasts with the 32.3% increase observed between 2022 and 2023, which was mainly driven by the post-pandemic recovery.

The processed requests involved 194,588 non-resident workers, a 13.3% decrease from 2023. Despite this drop, 158,316 of the requests were approved, reflecting a 9.3% reduction.

The approval rate, however, increased to 81.4%, with the approval rate for specialized workers rising to 95.6%.

By category, the construction sector saw the highest number of non-resident workers approved, followed by the hotel, restaurant, and similar industries.

The domestic work sector also maintained a high approval rate of 98%.

At the end of 2024, Macau’s total non-resident workforce stood at 182,542, marking a 3.3% increase from the previous year.

However, this figure remains below the pre-pandemic total of 196,538 workers in 2019.

Mainland China continued to be the largest source of non-resident workers, though other regions such as the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Myanmar also saw increases in their worker numbers.

The public administration and social security sector achieved a 100% approval rate for non-resident workers. Staff Reporter