Potential employees must be double-jabbed and can only work in certain households; pilot scheme may open the door to foreign teachers in future.
domestic workers
Health chief also concerned about availability of quarantine hotel rooms and what to do if many new arrivals test positive for Covid-19.
Some migrant workers hope to get incentives as a number of locals think non-resident workers should be included in this new round.
Working parents desperately need help at home, and may not speak Mandarin or be able to afford mainlanders’ higher wages.
Potential risk of importing Covid-19 outweighs potential benefits, even though families are desperate for help and workers are more than willing to come.
Entry process would span six weeks, but could ease the complicated situation which has stranded many foreign workers in the city.
Covid-19 complicates employment procedures for residents who prefer cheaper South Asian helpers who do not have to live in.
The number of non-resident workers rose by 3.8% year-on-year to 193,470 at the end of September.
“If they think MOP4,000, the average income of Macau’s domestic helpers, is not enough they can go to Hong Kong, where it [the average wage of domestic helpers] is HKD4,300,” said Chan Chak Mo.
