According to information shared by the Directorate of Statistics and Census Services (DSEC), the local unemployment rate has recently risen to 5.5 percent. The rate of underemployed population also rose by 3.1 percent, to a total of 16.5 percent, record values since records began.
With this high number of unemployed residents, in addition to the difficulty in finding a job, there are several structural problems. It is therefore to be expected that the Macao SAR authorities and the Chinese central government will work together to ease the current border restrictions while keeping the epidemic situation stable and secure.
These authorities will be able to take a multifaceted approach, creating more employment opportunities for the local population by instituting a priority system in certain industries and professions, as well as vocational training and the creation of regular job fairs.
Since the June 18 outbreak, several companies have been forced to lay off staff, some even ending up closing, leaving behind a problematic number of unpaid leaves. Faced with a situation of underemployment, at a time when economic recovery is still an essential factor in relieving the pressure of unemployment, it is particularly important that the Government implement measures to support the unemployed population.
Currently, both companies in the gaming industry and local small and medium-sized companies are hiring employees on a temporary basis, a human resources adjustment that helps them to reduce the impact on the functioning of their functions, also taking into account the period of pandemic uncertainty. Both large and small companies show some caution when hiring staff. Even in cases where they hire new employees, they do so with “discounts” on salaries.
Despite the huge number of job advertisements published on various platforms, few are those that receive a response after the application. Several people even begin to question the veracity of some offers. Many recent graduates also report difficulty in finding a job, highlighting the decadence of the current market in the city.
I also hope that the unemployed population shows some proactivity to develop their skills, learning more about the hiring process, valuing the interview opportunities they find and accepting challenges and positions outside their area. We therefore encourage companies themselves to actively seek to employ the local population, offering them training opportunities so that they can adapt to the work environment and help to combat current adversities.
Some unemployed people reveal that the courses of the “Subsidized Training Plan” do not seem to be related to the skills required by the job market, so they appeal to the Government to continue to improve this program and to create new courses more in line with the current situation. . For some public departments with heavy workloads, “Work Yes, Charity No” positions may even be created to ensure the livelihood of the unemployed population.
*Deputy of the Legislative Assembly/Federation of Macau Workers’ Associations
