With Macao in the grip of a labour shortage, Vietnam’s consul-general Pham Binh Dam has mooted the hiring of more Vietnamese workers.
In talks last week with Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng, the diplomat said that Vietnamese workers were skilled, diligent and had already made positive contributions to Macao’s economy.
He also suggested that Macao and Vietnam deepen cooperation over labour and visa issues.
The consul-general’s remarks were reported in the state-owned Vietnam Investment Review.
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According to official figures, there were more than 7,360 non-resident workers from Vietnam in Macao in February. They are the second largest foreign population after workers from the Philippines, who number more than 24,100.
Macao’s labour shortage is holding back its recovery, according to analysts from real estate and investment firm CBRE, who highlighted Macao’s slow approval process for foreign hires, as well as competition for hospitality staff from other destinations.
Some 45,000 foreign workers left Macao during the pandemic, with very few returning so far. Less than 700 were hired in February – the month after Covid-19 restrictions were scrapped.
