Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2024, published 113rd ILC session (2025)

Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122) - Macau Special Administrative Region (Ratification: 1999)

The Committee notes the Government’s response to the observations made by the Macau Federation of Trade Unions (MFTU) and the incorporation of their summary in the Government’s report. The Committee also notes the Government’s indication that no observation has been received from the employers’ organization, the Macao Chamber of Commerce.

Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention. Employment trends and implementation of an active employment policy. The Committee acknowledges the detailed information from the Government regarding the economic and employment policy situation and measures in the Macau Special Administrative Region (MSAR), including disaggregated statistical data. The Committee notes the improvement in the economic and labour market situation during the reporting period. The Government reports that the MSAR’s economy grew by 18 per cent in real terms in 2021 compared to 2020. However, in 2022, tourism and the gambling industry were affected by COVID-19 travel restrictions, leading to a significant drop in visitors and a decline in gross gambling revenue, resulting in a 26.8 per cent contraction in the economy. In 2023, economic activities recovered, with the gambling industry’s gross revenues reaching approximately 183,059 billion Macanese Pataca and the GDP growing by 80.5 per cent in real terms, indicating a strong recovery. In the first quarter of 2024, the GDP increased by 25.7 per cent year-on-year. The unemployment rate decreased from 3.7 per cent in 2022 to 2.7 per cent in 2023 and further to 2.1 per cent in the first quarter of 2024. The underemployment rate also fell from 6.9 per cent in 2022 to 1.7 per cent in 2023 and stood at 1.5 per cent in the first quarter of 2024. The labour force increased from 375.2 thousand persons in 2023 to 379.1 thousand in the first quarter of 2024. The majority of the unemployed population sought jobs for one to three months, with more than half (56.3 per cent) in this category in the first quarter of 2024. The Committee also notes that in the first quarter of 2024, the entertainment, gambling, and other service industries employed the highest number of individuals (83.3 thousand), followed by the hotel and catering industry (49.4 thousand), the wholesale and retail industry (45.2 thousand), the real estate and business industry (31.7 thousand), and the construction industry (25 thousand). The Committee invites the Government to continue to provide detailed updated information, including statistical data disaggregated by sex, age, and economic sector, on the nature and impact of the implemented measures to promote full, productive and freely chosen employment.

Atypical forms of employment. The Government refers to the information provided in the previous report and highlights the necessity of further comprehensive discussions among the stakeholders due to the divergent views in the community with regard to the draft Part-time Labour Relations Law. The Government adds that it will continue to follow up on the matter and provide further information in its future report. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide updated information on the status of the development of the draft Part-time Labour Relations Law.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The Macao Economic and Technological Development Bureau (METDB) has implemented various measures to boost the development and competitiveness of SMEs. These include financial support through schemes like the “SME Aid Scheme”, “SME Credit Guarantee Scheme”, and the newly launched “SME Credit Guarantee Scheme for Special Project”. During the reporting period, 1,367 applications for the “SME Aid Scheme” were approved, providing over 436 billion Macanese patacas in aid, while 45 cases under the “SME Credit Guarantee Scheme” involved financing of about 60 million Macanese patacas. Additionally, 86 applications under the “Subsidy Scheme for Encouraging Enterprises’ Upgrading and Development” were approved, involving a subsidy amount of 34.6 million Macanese patacas. The Government has also taken steps to optimize the business environment and revitalize the community economy by supporting community trade associations in organizing events like “Hong Kung Night Market” and “Mega Sale Carnival”. Furthermore, the METDB, in collaboration with the Macau Productivity and Technology Transfer Center, has organized seminars on digital marketing for SMEs and launched the “SME Backend Digitization Support Services”, assisting 195 businesses in digitalizing. The Commerce and Investment Promotion Institute has also been active in promoting business development, helping local and overseas investors to invest in the MSAR, and supporting SMEs in exploring business opportunities. The Bureau’s “one-stop” service for investors received 949 new investment plans and completed follow-up on 723 plans, with a total investment amount exceeding 3.7 billion Macanese patacas, creating more than 2,700 jobs. Lastly, the Government has facilitated the settlement of enterprises in the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, processing 59 cases of business registration as of May 31 2024. These efforts are part of a broader strategy to promote a quality, sustainable, and inclusive employment environment that meets the needs of the labour market. The Government indicates that the “Merchants Pavilion” has gathered around 1,700 items from 100 MSAR enterprises, including various products like food, coffee beans, wine, tea, beverages, healthcare and wellness products, clothing, footwear, and jewellery. The METDB has organized business matching sessions to facilitate cooperation between MSAR and Mainland enterprises, helping them reach more potential customers through multiple channels and regions. During the reporting period, 344 business matching sessions were held in cities like Guangzhou, Shenyang, Fuzhou, Wuhan, and Chengdu. The “Young Entrepreneurs Aid Scheme” approved 351 cases, mainly in retail, catering, education, and healthcare, totalling 56.42 million Macanese patacas and creating over 1,000 jobs. Additionally, the Government has strengthened cooperation with youth incubators in the Guangdong-Macao In-depth Co-operation Zone in Hengqin for mutually recognized youth entrepreneurial projects. The METDB also launched the “Professional Consultancy Service Exchange Program” and has taken measures to promote cooperation and exchange with overseas young entrepreneurs, assisting young people in starting businesses on the Chinese mainland, especially in the Greater Bay Area. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide updated information on measures and programmes implemented in support of SMEs and their impact in terms of improving the SMEs’ business environment, enhancing workers’ skills, and creating decent jobs. It also requests the Government to continue to provide information on the impact that measures taken to promote youth entrepreneurship have had on the creation of jobs.

Strengthening employment services. Vocational education and training. The Government indicates that the Labour Affairs Bureau (the Bureau) continued to provide job matching services, including organizing various employment matching sessions and industry-specific job matching sessions. The Government also informs that the Bureau in collaboration with integrated tourism and leisure enterprises have organized a large-scale job fairs every month and launched “Employment+ Training Specialized Projects” to help residents find or change their jobs. In addition, the Bureau has launched a “Local Job Vacancies” website for residents to search job vacancies online. In this context, the Committee notes the statistical information related to the number of successful matches which in 2023 were double to the number in 2022 (respectively, 13,835 thousand people and 6,288 thousand people) and in the period January-May 2024 – 5,611 thousand people. In addition, the Government states that the Bureau continues working closely with the social partners and regional offices (especially Guangdong Province in the Chinese mainland) to provide vocational training courses that meet the needs of the labour market and enhance the employment opportunities, competitiveness, and mobility of MSAR residents. To this end, the vocational training system has evolved to include “skill upgrading”, “paid on-the-job training” and “training for certificate” courses. According to the statistical data provided by the Government, the number of trainees participating in the Bureau’s vocational training courses has steadily increased after the COVID-19 pandemic and from to 6,803 in March 2021 to 21,872 persons in 2022, 19,686 - in 2023 and 4,725 - in January-May 2024. In addition, the Committee notes that the Bureau continues to deepen the cooperation between Guangdong, Hong Kong, Macao, and with cities in the Greater Bay Area in the training, assessment of skilled personnel and in the certification programme “multiple certificates with one test” aiming to assist residents to obtain skills certification, recognized in China, the MSAR and internationally. In this context, the Committee notes that during the reporting period, 2,143 persons received such certificates. The Committee also observes the statistical information related to the number of persons with certificates, disaggregated by economic sector and by year. The sectors with the highest number of certificates for the reporting period is engineering and maintenance industry (3,283 persons from June 2021 to May 2024), followed by real estate industry (1,297) and industrial and financial services industry (545). In addition, the Government informs about the completion in the first quarter of 2024 of the temporary support measure “the Subsidized Training Scheme” implemented by the Bureau in accordance with Administrative Regulation No 33/2020. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide up-to-date information on the measures taken or envisaged to strengthen the resilience and capacity of the vocational training system to enable it to rapidly adapt to changes in the labour market to meet the needs of both job seekers and employers.

Workers vulnerable to decent work deficits. The Government has implemented specific measures to promote the employment of young people, women, older persons, and persons with disabilities. The Labour Affairs Bureau (the Bureau) has conducted 11,210 job matching exercises from December 2021 to May 2024 and organized workshops on “Mock Interview” and “Resume Writing” to increase the employability of young persons. The “Youth Employment Centre” provides a platform for young people to communicate with industry representatives, and local internships and pre-employment training programs are available for young college graduates. For persons aged 55 and above, the Bureau offers training programs to enhance vocational skills and industry-specific matching sessions. The “Income Subsidy Scheme for Employees with Disabilities” provides income subsidies to local employees with a disability assessment registration card, and the Bureau’s “Working Group on Capacity Building” offers employment support through seminars and job-matching sessions. The number of hired persons with disabilities was 418 in 2021 and 401 in 2023. However, the Government does not provide statistical data disaggregated by age and sex. The Committee requests the Government to provide updated information, including statistical data disaggregated by age and sex, on the nature and impact of measures taken to promote full, productive, freely chosen, and sustainable employment for persons vulnerable to decent work deficits, including women, young persons, persons over the age of 50, the long-term unemployed and persons with disabilities.The Committee also requests the Government to provide up-to-date information on the measures envisaged or taken to promote the equal rights of women in employment.

Article 3 of the Convention. Social dialogue. In reply to the Committee’s previous comments, the Government indicates that it has promoted and implemented employment policy and measures through close collaboration with the social partners. In this regard, the Government refers to the organization of joint vocational training courses, internship programmes and recruitment activities with enterprises like “Youth Career Expo”, organized by the Macao New Chinese Youth Association and the General association of Chinese Students of Macao. In addition, the Committee notes the observation made by the MFTU that during the COVID-19 pandemic the social partners through tripartite consultations, communications and joint efforts have stabilized the employment environment and have provided training to enhance the skills level of the workers in order to prepare them for the economic recovery and economic diversification of the MSAR. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide concrete examples of the involvement of the social partners in the formulation, implementation as well as the monitoring and evaluation of employment policies and programmes in the MSAR. The Committee also asks the Government to indicate whether, beyond the social partners, representatives of persons affected by employment policies are also consulted as regards these policies.