The number of local residents searching for a job through the Labour Affairs Bureau (DSAL) dropped significantly in the last quarter. Between October and December, 2,817 candidates signed up at the DSAL Employment Department, 864 less than in the previous quarter.
Over half of all job seekers (52 percent) were between 45 and 59 years old, while only seven percent were 60 or older. One third were between 25 and 44 years old and eight percent were aged below 25.
Perhaps even more worrying, over one-third (34 percent) of the candidates had no qualifications besides having completed primary education. Furthermore, the majority (53 percent) had gone no further than secondary education. Only 13 percent of job seekers had undertaken higher education.
This lack of qualification is also clear on the list of positions most wanted by the applicants: non-qualified construction worker, building security, administrative staff, cleaning staff and casino worker.
Most of the applicants (51 percent) decided to head to DSAL after being dismissed or when their contract was not renewed. Only 28 percent claimed they wanted to change jobs, while 13 percent said they had just returned to Macau and four percent were looking for their first job.
Most employers who used the work placement service were looking for waiters, cleaning staff, salespeople, cooks and electricians. However, wages offered remain “far off” the amounts expected by job seekers, DSAL acknowledged.
The gap is as big as 42 percent in building security positions, 25 percent in construction workers and 22 percent in cooking jobs. The only exception is found in casino workers, where on average applicants are looking for a MOP 9,872 salary but employers are willing to pay an average of MOP 12,091.