Lawmaker-cum-lawyer Vong Hin Fai, who heads the legislature’s 3rd Standing Committee, said yesterday that the government will set up an e-platform for non-local applicants to apply through an employee recruitment programme to work in Macau as a qualified staff.
Vong briefed the media after a closed-door meeting of his committee which is reviewing a government-initiated bill to set up a new system to attract qualified human resources (the so-called “talents”) from outside Macau in order to promote the city’s appropriate economic diversification and improve local businesses’ competitiveness, the outline of which was passed during a plenary session in August.
Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Elsie Ao Ieong U and other government officials attended yesterday’s meeting.
Vong quoted the government officials as saying during yesterday’s meeting that a working group under the Talents Development Committee will be responsible for the initial review and compilation of the first round of shortlisting applicants.
Vong quoted the government officials as saying that future entities responsible for the approval process will include the Macau Public Security Forces (FSM), Talents Development Committee, and a proposed assessment committee to identify qualified applicants, both of which will be chaired by the chief executive.
Vong added that if the applicants are not satisfied with their result they can directly lodge a judicial appeal. This, the government officials told the committee, aimed to avoid slowing down the approval process due to administrative appeals.
Vong also said that the applicants are allowed to apply for more than one category at a time – there are three categories of qualified human resources, according to the bill, namely internationally recognised top-quality personnel, highly qualified personnel, and senior professionals. Those accepted for employment in Macau are able to apply for a residency permit in the Macau Special Administrative Region (MSAR), and receive tax benefits.
Vong noted that the definition of Macau’s key industries proposed in the bill would be dynamically adjusted and therefore not be specified in the bill, but would be determined in conjunction with the city’s five-year plan and its economic development.
Vong underlined that the current key industries in Macau refer to big health, modern finance, high technology and culture and sports, as well as its established industries such as gaming, MICE, and tourism.
The legislature’s 3rd Standing Committee President Vong Hin Fai (left) speaks during yesterday’s press briefing about a government-initiated bill to set up a new system to attract qualified human resources from outside Macau.
– Photo: Ginnie Liang
