Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that both the general unemployment rate (2.7%) and the unemployment rate of local residents (3.8%) for October-December 2020 decreased by 0.2 percentage points from the previous period (September-November 2020). Besides, the underemployment rate dropped by 0.4 percentage points to 5.0%.

The labour force living in Macao totalled 399,700 and the labour force participation rate was 70.4%. Total employment was 388,800 and the number of employed residents totalled 281,500, up by 2,600 and 3,200 respectively from the previous period.

Number of the unemployed fell by 600 from the previous period to 11,000. Among the unemployed population searching for a new job, most of them were previously engaged in Gaming & Junket Activities and the Construction sector. Meanwhile, the proportion of new labour market entrants seeking their first job declined by 3.0 percentage points to 11.6% of the total unemployed.

Number of the underemployed decreased by 1,200 from the previous period to 20,200, with the majority working in Gaming & Junket Activities and the Transport & Storage sector.

The Employment Survey covers all residential units in the Macao Peninsula, Taipa and Coloane, excluding collective living quarters such as dormitories and care homes for the elderly. The statistical units are individuals living in the above-mentioned quarters and therefore Macao residents and non-resident workers who work in Macao but live outside the territory are not included. Based on the immigration records, Macao residents and non-resident workers who worked in Macao but lived outside the territory were estimated at 83,300; when including these individuals, total labour force was 483,000, an increase of 2,700 from the previous period.

In the fourth quarter of 2020, the general unemployment rate (2.7%) and the unemployment rate of local residents (3.8%) dropped by 0.2 and 0.3 percentage points respectively from the previous quarter. Total employment decreased by 3,000 quarter-to-quarter, with the number of employed residents rising by 4,000. Analysed by industry, employment in Hotels, Restaurants & Similar Activities (54,800) went down by 4,100, while that in Wholesale & Retail Trade (45,500) rose by 2,600. Meanwhile, median monthly employment earnings of the employed remained unchanged quarter-to-quarter at MOP15,000, whereas the median earnings of the employed residents increased by MOP700 to MOP19,000.

For the whole year of 2020, the general unemployment rate was 2.5% and the unemployment rate of local residents stood at 3.6%, up by 0.8 and 1.3 percentage points respectively year-on-year. Median monthly employment earnings of the employed reduced by MOP2,000 year-on-year to MOP15,000, while the median earnings of the employed residents stayed the same at MOP20,000. As regards household employment indicators, average number of employed persons per household was 1.6 in 2020, down by 0.1 year-on-year; median monthly employment earnings per household fell by MOP2,500 year-on-year to MOP27,500.