In his 2026 Policy Address presented yesterday, Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai announced large increases in four types of government allowances paid to eligible local residents, namely unemployment, sickness, marriage, and funeral allowances, with their increases ranging between 33.8 percent and 81.2 percent.
Sam delivered his second policy address to the Legislative Assembly (AL) yesterday afternoon. His 2026 Policy Address, presented during a plenary session in the legislature’s hemicycle, lasted one and a half hours.
Earlier this year, the government raised all seven types of pensions and allowances paid out by the city’s social security system, with their increases taking effect retroactively from January this year. Macau’s social security system is run by the Social Security Fund (FSS).
The two types of pensions paid out by the fund comprise old-age pensions and disability pensions, while the five types of the fund’s allowances comprise unemployment, sickness, birth, marriage, and funeral allowances.
While the birth allowance was increased by 20.0 percent, the other six types of pensions and allowances were raised by between 4.3 percent and 4.7 percent, retroactively effective from January this year.
According to Sam’s 2026 Policy Address delivered yesterday, the birth allowance will remain unchanged at 6,500 patacas next year, while both the old-age pension and the disability pension will remain unchanged at 3,900 patacas per month next year. The birth allowance is a one-off payment.
In his policy address presented yesterday, Sam said that the government will increase its unemployment, sickness, marriage, and funeral allowances next year.
Both the marriage allowance and the funeral allowance are one-off payments.
According to Sam’s 2026 Policy Address, the unemployment allowance will be raised to 210 patacas per day next year, a 33.8 percent increase from the current 157 patacas per day.
The sickness allowance will be raised to 180 patacas per day for those whose treatment does not require hospitalisation, a 51.3 percent increase from the current 119 patacas per day, while the sickness allowance issued to those who have been hospitalised will be increased to 240 patacas per day, up 52.9 percent from the current 157 patacas per day.
According to the 2026 Policy Address, the marriage allowance will be raised to 4,000 patacas from the current 2,220 patacas, an 80.2 percent increase, while the funeral allowance will be increased to 5,200 patacas from the current 2,870 patacas, up 81.2 percent.
The annual subsidy for the elderly paid by the Social Welfare Bureau (IAS) will remain unchanged at 10,000 patacas next year.
Meanwhile, according to the 2026 Policy Address, the annual cash handouts will remain unchanged at 10,000 patacas for each eligible permanent local resident and 6,000 patacas for each eligible non-permanent local resident.
No further changes to wealth-sharing programme’s modus operandi
Speaking during a post-policy address press conference at Government Headquarters yesterday evening, Sam noted that the modus operandi of next year’s wealth-sharing programme will remain unchanged from this year’s programme, which is subject to a 183-day minimum stay requirement.
The government’s annual wealth-sharing programme was revamped earlier this year, according to which the cash handouts are, in general, only issued to Macau residents who stayed here for at least 183 days in the previous year. However, those meeting certain criteria can apply for exemptions from the 183-day minimum stay requirement.
Sam also underlined during the press conference that for the time being the government will not consider the possibility of issuing part of the annual cash handouts in the form of consumption vouchers.
The press conference, which lasted one hour, was held after Sam delivered his policy address in the legislature’s hemicycle.
Furthermore, according to the 2026 Policy Address, the government will again inject 7,000 patacas into the Central Provident Fund accounts of eligible permanent residents next year.
100 pct increase in waiver of real estate stamp duty
Meanwhile, according to the 2026 Policy Address, the government proposes a 100 percent increase in the threshold of the waiver of real estate stamp duty for eligible permanent local residents’ purchase of a residential unit.
Government-proposed amendments to real estate stamp duties must be passed by the legislature to take effect.
Currently, there is a waiver of real estate stamp duty for the first three million patacas of a residential unit’s value for permanent local residents purchasing a residential property for the first time. This means that if a first-time residential property buyer purchases a home for less than or equal to three million patacas, they do not have to pay the real estate stamp duty. For properties exceeding this value, the stamp duty will apply to the amount over three million patacas.
According to the 2026 Policy Address, the government proposes to raise the threshold to six million patacas from the current three million patacas.
Public entities’ mergers
Meanwhile, Sam also announced in his 2026 Policy Address that the Land Registry and Mapping Bureau (DSCC) will be merged into the Lands and Urban Construction Bureau (DSSCU) next year. In addition, the government will also amend DSSCU’s organisational structure formally defining it as the public entity tasked with the city’s urban renewal campaign.
Sam also said that the Consumer Council (CC) and the Science and Technology Development Fund (FDCT) will be merged into the Economic and Technological Development Bureau (DSEDT).
In addition, Sam said, the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC), the Sports Bureau (ID) and the Cultural Development Fund will be merged into a new public entity next year.
Meanwhile, the government yesterday also announced its 2026 budget bill, which expects receipts of 118.8 billion patacas and outlays of 113.5 billion patacas.
Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai delivers his 2026 Policy Address in the hemicycle of the Legislative Assembly (AL) yesterday afternoon. – Photo: Xinhua
Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai addresses yesterday evening’s post-policy press conference at Government Headquarters. – Photo: Tony Wong
