Young, middle-aged job seekers face toughest road to employment, survey finds

[Photo: Yuki Lei]

Macau employees want good pay, stable jobs, and work-life balance, but young people and middle-aged unemployed workers are struggling most to find work – especially younger jobseekers who lack skills and experience, a new survey has found.

According to a survey conducted by the Macau Federation of Trade Unions (MFTU) between January and August, drawing on 1,240 valid responses from residents aged 16 and above, the most sought-after job attributes were reasonable pay, job stability, and work-life balance.

Yet the same study revealed that job-seeking difficulties stemmed primarily from insufficient work experience, mismatched skills, and pay falling short of expectations, while job searches remained heavily dependent on personal networks. About 43% of respondents found work through friends or relatives, compared to just 12% who used online platforms and 9% who used government services.

As noted, respondents ranked reasonable remuneration, job stability, and work-life balance as the top three conditions for an ideal job, with 68.2%, 54.7%, and 47.3%, respectively. However, the same survey also revealed that job-seekers’ primary difficulties were a lack of relevant work experience, a mismatch between skills and job requirements, and salaries below expectations, cited by 37.6%, 28.4%, and 26.1% of respondents, respectively.

Young people and middle-aged unemployed workers face the greatest job-seeking difficulties, according to the survey released yesterday.

Addressing the findings at a press conference, lawmaker Leong Sun Iok said that while a matching mechanism exists between job seekers and employers, a gap between workers’ capabilities and employers’ needs persists, making it hard for many to find work.

For middle-aged job seekers, Leong suggested that the government draw on Hong Kong’s experience and introduce policy incentives to encourage employers to hire older workers. For young people, he attributed their difficulties to a lack of professional skills, work experience, and workplace awareness – factors that lead employers to favor candidates who are ready to hit the ground running.

“Since Macau’s economy is dominated by small- and medium-sized enterprises, employers often prioritize applicants who already possess the required skills, which makes it harder for young people to break into the job market,” he said.

He called for an expanded “training-plus-employment” industry-academia collaboration model across more sectors, with greater participation from eligible companies, so that young people can develop market-relevant skills and workplace capabilities earlier.

Leong also questioned whether current training programs in emerging fields such as information technology can genuinely meet market needs, arguing that tech skills cannot be fully acquired through classroom learning alone.

He suggested that young people – particularly fresh graduates – should be exposed to industries and enterprises during their university years to gain firsthand understanding of real business needs and technical demands, with the government playing a facilitating and advisory role to help them build relevant skills. The ultimate goal, he said, is to achieve a seamless transition from graduation to employment.

Notably, when it comes to boosting employability, respondents identified digital skills and artificial intelligence (AI) applications as the most important areas for development, followed by language proficiency and professional certifications. In terms of emerging industries, the greatest interest was shown in the digital economy and e-commerce, ahead of health technology and high-tech innovation and research and development.

As for training preferences, information technology and data analysis courses were the most sought-after, followed by language training and management and leadership programs.

Nearly 60% of residents open to cross-border work, but transport tops list of concerns

The survey also explored residents’ considerations regarding where they pursue their careers. Results showed that 58.6% of respondents expressed a willingness to consider pursuing careers in Hengqin or the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area.

The main attractions were greater development space and opportunities, cited by 42.3%, followed by higher salary levels (33.7%) and broader career choices (28.9%).

However, the biggest obstacles to cross-border work were insufficient transport links or long commuting times, identified by 45.1%, difficulties balancing family and living arrangements (32.6%), and unfamiliarity with mainland policies and the environment (28.4%).

Among those interested in regional integration, respondents said the government’s most urgent priorities should be improving cross-border transportation links, cited by 52.8%, providing job information and matching services (44.6%), and stepping up policy outreach (35.2%).