Unemployment rises to 12,400

The number of the unemployed has risen to 12,400, up 500 from the previous period, according to data from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC).

Among the unemployed searching for a new job, most were previously engaged in Gaming & Junket Activities and in the Construction sector. 

The number of the underemployed fell by 3,100 from the previous period to 12,600, with a notable drop in the number of those engaged in Gaming & Junket Activities.

Meanwhile, the proportion of new entrants to the labor market, those seeking their first job, fell by 1.1 percentage points to 9.7% of the total unemployed.

Recent data shows that both the general unemployment rate (3.2%) and the unemployment rate of local residents (4.2%) for November 2021-January 2022 increased by 0.1 percentage points from the previous period (October-December 2021). 

The underemployment rate dropped by 0.8 percentage points to 3.2%.

The labor force living in Macau totaled 391,400 and the labor force participation rate was 69.9%. 

Meanwhile, the total employment went up by 1,900 from the previous period to 379,000 and the number of employed residents rose by 2,000 to 284,500. This may be attributed to an increase in the demand for local manpower in connection with a number of events held before the Lunar New Year. 

According to the preliminary estimates from the movement records, an average of about 86,600 people, both Macau residents and non-resident workers, worked in Macau while living outside the territory during the reference period. If these individuals are included, the labor force totaled 478,000, an increase of 2,900 from the previous period. LV