According to the latest statistics from the Macau Labor Affairs Bureau, the number of foreign workers in Macau stood at 182,371 at the end of September, a decrease of 859 compared to the 183,230 recorded at the end of August.
This marks the first monthly decline since the relaxation of entry and exit policies in January of the previous year. The construction sector saw the largest drop in foreign workers, while the number of foreign workers in Macau’s gaming and hotel sectors continued to increase.
The Labor Affairs Bureau’s data further reveal that by the end of September, a total of 210,000 foreign worker employment permits had been issued, a reduction of 1,219 compared to the 211,000 permits issued at the end of August. Since the drop in foreign worker numbers outpaced the decline in employment permits, the foreign-worker employment ratio rose slightly to 86.7 percent.
In terms of industry distribution, by the end of September, the recreational, cultural, gaming, and other services sectors employed 11,002 foreign workers, representing a nearly 30 percent increase from 8,505 in January 2023. This marks a slight rise of 38 workers compared to the 10,964 employed at the end of August.
The Hotels, Restaurants, and Similar Activities sector has consistently been the largest employer of foreign workers in Macau. As of the end of September, this sector employed 52,605 foreign workers, the majority of whom are from mainland China, followed by workers from the Philippines and Vietnam.
This represents a nearly 42 percent increase from the 37,139 foreign workers in the sector at the start of 2023. In September alone, the number of foreign workers in this sector grew by 362.
