Macau’s overall jobless rate and the unemployment rate for local residents both returned to pre-COVID levels in 2Q24, according to the latest data from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC).
The DSEC highlighted that non-gaming industries drove employment growth, resulting in an increase of 5,300 in total employment and 3,000 in employed local residents quarter-on-quarter, bringing the totals to 376,400 and 287,000, respectively.
By the end of 2Q24, the gaming sector still employed around 70,300 people, a decrease of 1,100 from 1Q24.
In 2Q24, the overall unemployment rate and the unemployment rate for local residents both decreased by 0.4 percentage points compared to the previous quarter, reaching 1.7 percent and 2.3 percent, respectively.
Among those unemployed and seeking new jobs, the majority previously worked in the gaming and retail sectors.
In a statement released on Friday, DSEC noted that the median monthly earnings for all employees and employed local residents fell by MOP100 ($12) and MOP500 ($62) quarter-on-quarter, reaching MOP17,900 ($2,228) and MOP20,000 ($2,490), respectively. This decline is attributed to a high base of comparison from the first quarter, during which some industries provided double pay and bonuses.
Meanwhile, the underemployment rate remained steady at 1.5 percent, unchanged from the first quarter.
