Only 27% of youth intend to develop careers in Hengqin despite gov’t efforts

The 2025 Policy Address promotes youth employment in the nine mainland cities of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area and the Guangdong-Macau In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin by offering a monthly subsidy of MOP5,000 for up to 18 months to university graduates under 35 who secure jobs with designated enterprises.

However, a recent survey shows that only 27% of young people are willing to work in Hengqin.

The Macau Economic and Livelihood Alliance recently conducted its “Survey on Youth Employment and Career Development in Macau” from April 1 to 28, gathering 985 valid questionnaires through street distribution, with 63% of respondents aged 18 to 24 comprising the primary group.

Recent survey findings reveal the challenges young people encounter in job hunting and career development, as many report difficulties in finding suitable employment and navigating cumbersome application processes, with over 70% expressing dissatisfaction with Macau’s employment market.

The findings indicate that local youth employment is primarily concentrated in traditional industries like tourism and catering, with many young people reporting “difficulty finding suitable jobs,” accounting for 38% of the respondents, while also encountering “cumbersome job application procedures.”

Job satisfaction remains moderately low, as only about 53% of respondents expressed satisfaction or neutrality toward their current employment.

Data also reveal a gap between Macau youth’s awareness of the Greater Bay Area outside of Macau and their willingness to relocate, with only 22% of respondents expressing readiness to move for work, while 34% indicated they were considering it.

The preferred cities for employment within the Greater Bay Area are Hong Kong, Zhuhai, and Guangzhou, accounting for 26%, 21%, and 14% of responses, respectively.

According to the findings, only 27% of the surveyed youth expressed a willingness to work in Hengqin. Among those interested, 47% cited the low cost of living as the main attraction, while 40% highlighted promising career prospects as a key factor.

Meanwhile, the findings indicate that only 37% of respondents had participated in vocational training, suggesting that the vocational skills and training status of Macau’s youth are less than ideal.

Based on the findings, the group recommends that the government enhance youth employment in Macau through six key initiatives.

These include strengthening policy promotion and support for employment information, enhancing vocational skills and training opportunities, optimizing employment services and safeguards, increasing the employment appeal of the Greater Bay Area, promoting effective career planning and guidance, and providing more comprehensive career development advice and assistance.