Survey: Lower wages offered to non-locals are seen as unfair competition

Two organizations released their joint annual survey report yesterday, revealing that over 63% of respondents believe the current policy on non-local workers lacks a system that prioritizes local employment.

The survey expresses concern about unfair competition stemming from lower wages offered to non-local workers.

The survey was conducted jointly by the Macau Federation of Trade Unions (FAOM) and the Macau Economic Association (ACEM) over eight consecutive years on the employment situation of workers.

The latest survey update was conducted between January and early this month, and the results were unveiled yesterday.

At a press conference, organizers explained that the survey targeted residents aged 16 and above, collected 2,000 valid responses, and found that nearly 40% of respondents were in the 26-35 age group, which also had a relatively high proportion of bachelor’s degree holders.

Occupationally, the largest share of respondents worked in education, healthcare, and social services, accounting for approximately 20%. The gaming, hospitality, and retail sectors also accounted for a significant share of the workforce.

Notably, the survey revealed that about half of the respondents earned salaries below MOP15,000, indicating economic pressure among workers.

During yesterday’s press conference, it was noted that respondents expressed significant concern about labor rights and protections, including remuneration, vacation arrangements, and working hours.

The findings revealed that over 63% of participants were concerned about policy shortcomings, urging authorities to prioritize hiring local employees to prevent unfair competition from non-resident workers.

Additionally, 60% of respondents expressed concern that low wages for non-local workers could further exacerbate unfair competition.

The average score respondents gave for the severity of Macau’s illegal employment problem increased to 3.47 points, up from 3.11 points in last year’s survey, indicating heightened societal concern over this issue.

The findings revealed notable changes in the income of the working class, with just 45% of respondents reporting no change in their earnings. Data from 2025 indicates a 27.4% increase in the proportion of respondents experiencing income growth compared to previous surveys.

All respondents reported working more than eight hours per day, with no significant change observed. Specifically, about 60% maintained the same salary as last year, while 10% experienced a decrease, with variations across industries. Additionally, 64% reported having 1 to 1.5 days off per week.

Additionally, 34.3% of respondents indicated they had surplus funds, over 40% faced financial shortfalls, and expressed anxieties about the future. Their primary concerns included rising prices, industry prospects, and public perception of their sector.

Areas for improvement were identified, including communication support and compensation packages, with approximately 40% of respondents preferring vacation time over monetary compensation.

The overall job satisfaction rating stands at 5.9%, indicating moderate satisfaction among respondents. Industry analysis shows that government agencies and sectors such as education and healthcare received relatively higher ratings, while property management scored lower.

More than half have no time for training

The report also inquired about plans to participate in training over the coming year; however, over half of the respondents indicated they did not intend to participate, primarily citing time constraints as the main reason, as noted in the findings.

Recommendations based on the survey findings were presented, with lawmaker Leong Sun Iok advocating for improvements to non-local worker policies and oversight. He emphasized the need to establish reasonable salary thresholds when approving non-resident worker applications, asserting that positions offering salaries significantly below industry benchmarks should not receive importing quotas.

Among other recommendations, efforts should focus on promoting the transformation and upgrading of low-wage sectors to address uneven salary adjustments across various industries.