The Macau government announced yesterday that foreigners of any nationality who have been hired by families in Macau as domestic helpers will once again be allowed to enter the city, and applications for the new measure will start on Monday.
Leong Iek Hou, who heads the Communicable Disease Prevention and Control Division of the Health Bureau (SSM), announced the new measure during yesterday’s regular press conference by the Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Centre.
The Macau government launched a programme of granting foreign domestic helpers an exemption from its current entry ban on non-resident foreigners, i.e., foreign nationals without a Macau ID card, on April 25, when the programme only covered Philippine nationals. The programme was extended to Indonesian nationals this past Monday.
Leong announced yesterday that from Monday the Macau government’s ongoing programme of granting foreign domestic helpers an exemption from its entry ban on foreigners will be extended to foreigners of any nationality.
Like the programme covering Philippine and Indonesian nationals, from Monday – when it is extended to any other nationality – it will have no restrictions either on the age and health condition requiring the assistance of a domestic helper, according to Leong.
After the programme is extended to foreigners of any nationality on Monday, all the other application requirements and procedures will be the same as the ongoing programme for Philippine and Indonesian domestic helpers.
Yesterday’s announcement means that those who are being looked after by a foreign domestic helper, and those living with them – except those aged below three, must have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, or they must hold a doctor’s certificate confirming their unsuitability for COVID-19 vaccinations.
Currently, those aged below three are not covered by the Macau government’s COVID-19 vaccination programme.
Normally those vaccinated against COVID-19 require two jabs to develop basic full immunity, i.e., if they receive a two-dose vaccine.
Many of the COVID-19 vaccines that are being used worldwide are two-dose vaccines. Some COVID-19 vaccines are single or three-dose vaccines.
Like all other arrivals from foreign countries, the domestic helpers must have been fully inoculated against COVID-19 at least 14 days prior, i.e., having developed basic full immunity. Those who received the last required shot of their basic-full-immunity COVID-19 vaccinations over seven months ago will also have to present a certificate confirming that they have received at least one COVID-19 booster jab, when boarding their Macau-bound flight.
Like all the other arrivals from foreign countries, the domestic helpers who have been granted permission to enter Macau will also be subject to the Macau government’s current requirement of 14 days in hotel quarantine plus seven days of “self-health management” upon their arrival here.
Leong also said yesterday that the government has so far received 38 applications for its programme of allowing foreign domestic helpers to enter Macau again since its launch late last month. Leong said that as of yesterday 23 of the 38 applications had been approved, while 13 other applications had been rejected. Two had been cancelled by their applicants.
Govt to allow locals’ foreign spouses or kids to enter Macau again
Meanwhile, Leong announced yesterday that the Macau government will allow non-resident foreigners who are spouses or children, i.e., non-adult offspring, of local residents to apply to enter Macau from any country or region, and applications for the new measure will also start on Monday.
Leong said that the local government has decided to roll out the new measure after considering the needs of certain local residents and assessing the COVID-19 pandemic’s latest level of risk to Macau.
Currently, non-resident foreigners who are family members of local residents can apply to enter Macau from the mainland or Hong Kong.
From today, non-local Portuguese nationals, i.e., those who do not have a Macau ID card, will once again be allowed to enter Macau, provided that they have stayed in Portugal, mainland China or Hong Kong for at least 21 days before their intended entry. Portuguese nationals from the three areas can enter Macau from today without prior authorisation by the Macau Health Bureau (SSM). i.e., without the need to make an application.
Leong noted that the new measure that will start on Monday will benefit local residents’ foreign spouses or children who are not covered by the Macau government’s current programmes of allowing non-resident foreigners to apply to enter Macau, namely the two programmes of allowing non-resident foreigners who are family members of local residents to apply to enter Macau from the mainland and Hong Kong respectively.
Like the two current programmes, for the new measure that will start on Monday, the respective local residents can submit their applications at: https://www.ssm.gov.mo/faen
The new measure that will start on Monday means that non-resident foreigners who are spouses or children of local residents will also be able to enter Macau from any foreign country or Taiwan, in addition to the current situation in which they can apply to enter Macau from the mainland or Hong Kong.
Leong underlined that those who have been granted permission to enter Macau under the new measure will also be subject to the Macau government’s current requirements on COVID-19 vaccinations and nucleic acid tests (NATs) for those departing from foreign countries, and its requirement of 14 days in hotel quarantine plus seven days of “self-health management”.
Leong Iek Hou, who heads the Health Bureau’s (SSM) Communicable Disease Prevention and Control Division, addresses yesterday’s press conference about the city’s COVID-19 situation. Photo: GCS
