MACAU, January 27 - Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that both the general unemployment rate (3.5%) and the unemployment rate of local residents (4.5%) for October-December 2022 decreased by 0.2 percentage points from the previous period (September-November 2022). Besides, the underemployment rate dropped by 0.4 percentage points to 3.9%.

The labour force living in Macao totalled 373,400 and the labour force participation rate was 68.5%. Total employment was 360,200 and the number of employed residents totalled 281,100, down by 1,700 and 900 respectively from the previous period.

Number of the unemployed decreased by 800 from the previous period to 13,200. Among the unemployed searching for a new job, most of them were previously engaged in Gaming & Junket Activities and in the Construction sector. Meanwhile, the proportion of new labour market entrants seeking their first job increased by 0.6 percentage points to 12.0% of the total unemployed.

Number of the underemployed dropped by 1,800 from the previous period to 14,400, with the majority working in Gaming & Junket Activities, Hotels, Restaurants & Similar Activities and the Construction sector.

The general unemployment rate (3.5%) and the unemployment rate of local residents (4.5%) in the fourth quarter of 2022 dropped by 0.5 and 0.7 percentage points respectively from the previous quarter. Total employment decreased by 2,800 quarter-to-quarter; meanwhile, number of employed residents rose by 1,100, attributable to an increase in the demand for local manpower in connection with a number of large events held at the end of the year. Analysed by industry, employment in Retail Trade (36,300) and Gaming & Junket Activities (67,600) went up by 3,100 and 1,200 respectively quarter-to-quarter, while that in the Transport & Storage sector (14,500) went down by 2,500. Median monthly employment earnings of the employed (MOP15,600) and the employed residents (MOP19,000) increased by MOP1,600 and MOP2,000 respectively quarter-to-quarter.

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 85,000 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 was 458,400, a decrease of 4,000 from the previous period.

For the whole year of 2022, the general unemployment rate was 3.7% and the unemployment rate of local residents stood at 4.8%, up by 0.8 and 0.9 percentage points respectively year-on-year. Median monthly employment earnings of the employed (MOP15,000) and the employed residents (MOP19,000) decreased by MOP800 and MOP1,000 respectively year-on-year.