Secretary for Security Wong Sio Chak said in the legislature’s hemicycle Tuesday that the government will require nationals from six countries to submit a certificate of non-criminal record when applying to work in Macau.
In some jurisdictions, the document is known as certificate of no criminal conviction.
Wong made the remarks when answering a question from indirectly-elected lawmaker-cum-unionist Lei Chan U, on the last day of a two-day Q&A session about his portfolio’s policy guidelines for next year.
According to the Macau Post Daily the Public Security Police (PSP) announced last month that Vietnamese nationals applying for a work permit – informally known as “blue card” – in Macau will need to submit a non-criminal record certificate for their application to be processed, starting from February 1 next year.
The police said at that time that the measure was needed to “respond to the actual situation of public security, migration controls and the labour market for non-resident workers”.
The Immigration Department is run by the Public Security Police.
Lei asked yesterday why the police had decided to implement the new measure only for Vietnamese nationals and whether the measure would cover more jurisdictions.
Wong replied that in addition to Vietnam, five countries, namely Bangladesh, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan and Sri Lanka would gradually be added to the measure and those applying to work in the city would then have to submit a non-criminal record certificate as well. He said that the measure would be implemented first for Vietnamese nationals on a trial basis.
According to Wong, nationals from the six countries need a visa to enter Macau as tourists.
Wong did not specify when the government will implement the new measure for the other five countries.
