Youth optimistic about mainland prospects

The latest survey conducted by the Macao Youth Federation on the opinions of Macau youth shows that nearly 70 percent of interviewees consider the mainland’s employment prospects to be good.

The survey interviewed local residents aged between 18 and 45 years old, and collected 629 valid responses.

More than 80 percent of the respondents believed that the mainland’s prospects are better than Macau’s.

Eighteen- to 24-year-olds are even more optimistic about mainland China’s employment market than other age groups.

They feel that the mainland offers a larger market, lower entrepreneurship costs, and more opportunities to access new technologies.

The top four mainland cities in which the local youth wish to work are Shanghai, Guangzhou, Beijing and Shenzhen.

Some 56 percent of the interviewees say that in the event they go to mainland China as aspiring entrepreneurs or for other forms of employment, they would leave the mainland after three years.

Only 12 percent of the respondents said they would live in the mainland. Furthermore, only 20 percent of interviewees indicated a willingness to work there and only 31 percent said they would take part in an entrepreneurship program. These low rates are likely a consequence of differences in culture and lifestyles, as well as social connections and family.

Some 21 percent and 30 percent of the interviewees were not familiar with the content of the central government’s Belt and Road initiative and the Greater Bay Area development plan, respectively. JZ