Macao residents’ unemployment rate has risen to 5.4 per cent, the Statistics and Census Bureau (DSEC) has announced.
According to the DSEC, Macao’s general unemployment rate and the unemployment rate of local residents for the May-July survey period rose 0.4 and 0.6 percentage points from the previous survey period (April-June) to 4.1 per cent and 5.4 per cent respectively.
The general unemployment rate comprises residents and non-resident workers.
The bureau blamed the suspension of most business activities during Macao’s recent Covid-19 outbreak for the growth in unemployment.
According to the bureau, Macao’s underemployment rate increased 9.3 percentage points to 13.4 per cent.
The labour force living in Macao totalled 377,000, while the labour force participation rate was 68.2 per cent.
The number of unemployed rose by 1,700 from the previous survey period to 15,600. Most of the unemployed looking for a new job worked previously for gaming and junket operators as well as in the construction sector.
The number of the underemployed surged by 34,900 from the previous survey period to 50,600, most of them working for gaming and junket operators and in hotels, restaurants and the retail sector.
In comparison with May-July last year, the underemployment and unemployment rates increased by 9.9 and 1.2 percentage points respectively.
