The labor math ‘ain’t mathing’

Renato Marques

Just last week, we learned that the Labor Affairs Bureau (DSAL) has helped, through its multiple programs, some 11,584 people secure jobs in 2025.
DSAL acknowledged this figure in a written response to an inquiry from lawmaker Ella Lei, submitted to the Legislative Assembly.

While the high figure was surely noted to highlight the effectiveness of the local labor authorities’ programs, most of these placements involved the gaming concessionaires. It also reflects a deeper reality, and here is why.

According to official figures, the total workforce at the end of 2025 was 379,300, with only a small variation (in the hundreds) throughout the year.
A simple calculation shows that 11,584 accounts for about 3.05% of the total workforce in 2025.

If we note that the unemployment rate for the year averaged 1.8% and the number of unemployed individuals averaged around 6,800, the figure of 11,584 people is just shy of double the total number of unemployed people at the end of each month.

Sure, some might say, “This is not the proper way to calculate the unemployment rate,” which I fully acknowledge, but that is not even my point.

My point is that what many people, including the lawmaker, have been saying for the past three or more years (that the real unemployment rate is far higher than official statistics can capture) has finally been acknowledged (in one way or another) by the DSAL itself.

But more importantly, we need to keep in mind that these figures include only those who resort to DSAL to try to find a job. As we know, the vast majority of people prefer to take matters into their own hands for as long as possible and apply for jobs on their own before seeking help from DSAL.

Which prompts the question: how many, in reality, were looking for a new or first job last year? We will never know. But one thing is certain: the figures now stated highlight what we already knew, but did not have proof of – Macau, contrary to the past, now has a very high level of job-market volatility. While some are losing their jobs against their will, many more are seeking new opportunities due to dissatisfaction with work conditions.

In the meantime, authorities seem to have found a simple solution to solve (at least temporarily) the problem of many companies by simply allowing labor imports.

Of course, this generates conflict, as no worker who feels he has poured his heart into the company in the hardest times and over many years sees favorably the arrival of new, unskilled workers (who in most cases they have to train), while earning the same or barely the same wage.

Crucially, there is a negative sentiment in the market. Since the pandemic years, we have been jumping from one “quick fix” to another without finding a real long-term solution.

Also not helpful is telling young graduates now that they need to find jobs elsewhere and “explore (alleged) opportunities in the GBA,” when, at least since 2020, the same people were told that it was “best to stay in Macau and study in local institutions” as “we wanted to retain talent.”

As people say in moments like this, “the math ain’t mathing,” and if we cannot find jobs for the “few” youngsters we have, imagine if we had a high birthrate.