Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that the general unemployment rate and the unemployment rate of local residents for June - August 2024 continued to remain at 1.7% and 2.3% respectively. Both indicators stayed the same as in the previous period (May - July), but decreased by 0.1 percentage point when compared with the same period (June - August) in 2019. Meanwhile, the underemployment rate was 1.2%, down by 0.1 percentage point from the previous period.
The labour force living in Macao (383,400) and total employment (376,800) grew by 300 and 400 respectively from the previous period, while the number of employed residents (285,900) fell by 400. Analysed by industry, employment in the Gaming sector increased, while that in Hotels, Restaurants & Similar Activities decreased.
Number of the unemployed was 6,700, which was similar to that in the previous period but represented a drop of 400 compared to the same period in 2019. With fresh graduates entering the labour market, the proportion of new labour market entrants seeking their first job increased by 4.8 percentage points to 14.7% of the total unemployed. Among the unemployed searching for a new job, most of them were previously engaged in the Gaming sector and Retail Trade.
The underemployment situation in Macao continued to improve, with the number of the underemployed (4,500) dropping by 300 from the previous period. As regards industries, the majority of the underemployed were working in the Construction sector and Retail Trade.
In comparison with June - August 2023, the labour force participation rate (67.8%), the unemployment rate (1.7%) and the underemployment rate (1.2%) decreased by 0.1, 0.8 and 0.6 percentage points respectively.
The Employment Survey covers all residential units in the Macao Peninsula, Taipa and Coloane, excluding collective living quarters such as dormitories and care homes for the elderly. Individuals living in these units are included in the survey, and therefore Macao residents and non-resident workers who work in Macao but live outside the territory are excluded. According to the preliminary estimates from the movement records, an average of about 103,300 Macao residents and non-resident workers worked in Macao but lived outside the territory during the reference period; when including these individuals, total labour force (486,800) increased by 700 from the previous period.