The number of foreign workers without resident status in Macau decreased by nearly 4,600 in July, the month in which the Chinese region faced its worst Covid-19 outbreak. According to data from the Public Security Police Corps, at the end of July Macau had about 157,800 foreign workers without resident status, with more than half (nearly 108,400) coming from mainland China.
Also read: Macau opens doors to foreigners
The statistics, released today by the Bureau of Labor Affairs, show that non-resident workers from China were also the most affected (minus three thousand) by the decrease felt in July, followed by Filipinos (700 less).
Macau faced, as of June 18, the worst outbreak of Covid-19 since the beginning of the pandemic, with more than 1,500 cases and six deaths, leading the territory to decree a partial confinement, closing almost all commercial establishments.
In the two months of the outbreak, the Chinese special administrative region saw the number of non-resident workers decline by more than 7,400.
Since Macau closed its borders to foreigners without resident status in March 2020, it has lost 17 percent of its non-resident workforce, with nearly 31,700 people losing their jobs, a situation that legally forces them to leave the city.
Also read: GDP contracted by 39.3% in the second quarter in Macau
In April this year, the territory had lifted border restrictions on Filipino workers, university students and foreign teaching professionals, such as Portuguese teachers. The exemption was later extended to workers from Indonesia.
Starting Thursday, Macau will allow all non-resident workers, as well as travelers from 41 countries, including Brazil, and family members of residents.
