Macau residents' unemployment rate has risen to 5.4 percent, the Statistics and Census Bureau (DSEC) announced today.
According to a DSEC statement, Macau's general unemployment rate and the unemployment rate of local residents for the May-July survey period rose 0.4 and 0.6 percentage points from the previous survey period (April-June) to 4.1 percent and 5.4 percent respectively.
The general unemployment rate comprises residents and non-resident workers.
The bureau blamed the suspension of most business activities during Macau's recent COVID-19 outbreak for the growing unemployment.
According to the bureau, Macau's underemployment rate increased 9.3 percentage points to 13.4 percent.
The labour force living in Macau totalled 377,000, while the labour force participation rate was 68.2 percent.
The number of the unemployed rose by 1,700 from the previous survey period to 15,600. Most of the unemployed looking for a new job worked previously for gaming and junket operators as well as in the construction sector.
The number of the underemployed surged by 34,900 from the previous survey period to 50,600, most of them working for gaming and junket operators and in hotels, restaurants and the retail sector.
In comparison with May-July last year, the underemployment and unemployment rates increased by 9.9 and 1.2 percentage points respectively.
