Hengqin is looking to recruit more people from Macao into its workforce through the launch of a new employment subsidy programme that will see eligible candidates receive a monthly grant of 4,000 yuan for up to a maximum of 36 months.
According to a notice published by the Hengqin government on Tuesday, the scheme is set to come into effect on 1 February and will be valid for a period of three years.
Applicants must be a current Macao resident aged between 18 and 45. They are also required to fulfill 7 other key criteria, which include: possessing a university degree or a professional qualification certificate; signing a work contract with a Hengqin-based employer for at least one year; agreeing to neither work in Macao nor possess a mandatory social contribution record while employed in Hengqin; and not have a criminal record.
Meanwhile, employers that recruit eligible Macao staff can receive an incentive of 1,000 yuan per person for a maximum of 36 months. As well, a one-time payment of 200,000 yuan will be doled out if they hire 30 or more eligible people from Macao within one year.
A cap of 1.5 million yuan has been set for employers that wish to take advantage of the two reward payments simultaneously.
[See more: Construction of Macao-subsidised housing in Hengqin kicks off]
Interested parties will be required to submit a range of documents to the relevant authorities, including their application form, Macao ID and mainland travel permit or residence permit for Hong Kong and Macao residents, educational certificate and the no-criminal record form.
In its statement cited by TDM, the Hengqin authorities said that the cost for local businesses to hire Macao employees will markedly decline once the scheme is in motion.
Economic and people-to-people ties between Macao and Hengqin – an administrative district of the mainland Chinese city of Zhuhai – have been expanding rapidly in recent years, especially as Macao seeks to leverage the latter’s resources and space in order to diversify its economy away from gambling.
The Macao New Neighbourhood (a Hengqin housing development for people from Macao) and the two-tier customs system are among some of the other major initiatives that have helped to draw the two places closer together. Last year, the Hengqin government also rolled out various policies to encourage young Macao entrepreneurs to start businesses on the island in the form of rent reduction and monetary incentives.
During his visit to Macao and Hengqin last month, President Xi Jinping made it clear he was fully behind the integration between the two jurisdictions, noting that the growing ties were “completely correct.”
