Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that the general unemployment rate for November 2020-January 2021 held steady over the previous period (October-December 2020), at 2.7%; the unemployment rate of local residents was 3.7%, down by 0.1 percentage point. Besides, the underemployment rate dropped by 0.6 percentage points to 4.4%.

The labour force living in Macao totalled 400,100 and the labour force participation rate was 70.5%. Total employment was 389,200 and the number of employed residents totalled 284,100, up by 400 and 2,600 respectively from the previous period. Analysed by industry, employment in Wholesale & Retail Trade and Education increased, while that in the Construction sector decreased.

Number of the unemployed fell by 100 from the previous period to 10,900. Among the unemployed 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 decreased by 1.4 percentage points to 10.2% of the total unemployed.

Number of the underemployed decreased by 2,500 from the previous period to 17,700, with the majority working in Gaming & Junket Activities and the Transport & Storage sector.

In comparison with November 2019-January 2020, the underemployment rate and the unemployment rate increased by 4.0 and 1.0 percentage points respectively, while the labour force participation rate dropped by 0.2 percentage points.

The Employment Survey covers all living quarters in the Macao Peninsula, Taipa and Coloane, excluding collective living quarters such as dormitories and care homes for the elderly. Individuals living in these quarters are included in the survey, and therefore Macao residents and non-resident workers who work in Macao but live outside the territory are excluded. Based on the immigration records, Macao residents and non-resident workers who worked in Macao but lived outside the territory were estimated at 83,000; when including these individuals, total labour force was 483,100, an increase of 100 from the previous period.