Employment agencies face tougher regulations
New law provides safeguards for both employers and employees, standardises fees, and cracks down on fly-by-night employment agencies.
Employment agencies will have to pay a guarantee fee of MOP 300,000 from mid next month, the Macau Daily Times reports.
The new regulations, which come into effect on 15 March, also compel employment agencies in Macao to provide license information including their names and license number.
The new law was passed by the Legislative Assembly last September. It stipulated that all employment agencies must be licensed, and have a physical location that is not in a residential, industrial, hotel, parking lot, or public building.
To preclude agencies from overcharging both employers and employees for referral fees, fees charged to employers cannot exceed the values listed on their fee listing, which need to be published and sent to the Labour Affairs Bureau.
Fees charged to workers seeking employment must not exceed 50 per cent of their first month’s salary.
