Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that both the general unemployment rate (2.9%) and the unemployment rate of local residents (4.1%) for July-September 2020 increased by 0.1 percentage point from the previous period (June-August 2020). Besides, the underemployment rate rose by 1.0 percentage point to 4.7%.

Total labour force was 403,500 and the labour force participation rate was 70.3%. Total employment was 391,800, a decrease of 700 from the previous period; meanwhile, number of employed residents increased by 900 to 277,500.

Number of the unemployed was 11,800, up by 300 from the previous period. With fresh graduates entering the labour market, the proportion of new labour market entrants seeking their first job increased by 1.4 percentage points to 17.4% of the total unemployed. Among the unemployed population searching for a new job, the majority of them were previously working in Gaming & Junket Activities and Retail Trade.

Number of the underemployed grew by 4,000 to 19,000, with most of them working in Gaming & Junket Activities, Hotels & Similar Activities and the Construction sector.

In the third quarter of 2020, the general unemployment rate (2.9%) and the unemployment rate of local residents (4.1%) increased by 0.4 and 0.6 percentage points respectively from the previous quarter. Total employment decreased by 10,100 quarter-to-quarter, mainly attributable to a decline in number of non-resident workers living in Macao; meanwhile, number of employed residents went down by 1,800. Analysed by industry, employment in Gaming & Junket Activities (76,900) and Real Estate & Business Activities (32,700) dropped by 5,400 and 4,800 respectively quarter-to-quarter, while that in Hotels, Restaurants & Similar Activities (58,900) rose by 5,500.

Median monthly employment earnings of the employed in the third quarter remained unchanged quarter-to-quarter, at MOP15,000; median earnings of those engaged in Gaming & Junket Activities and the Construction sector stood at MOP17,000 and MOP15,000 respectively. Moreover, median earnings of the employed residents dropped by MOP1,700 quarter-to-quarter to MOP18,300.