The Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Centre (hereinafter referred to as the “Centre”) announces that pursuant to the latest Chief Executive’s Dispatch No. 64/2022, with effect from 10:00 this morning, eligible domestic workers or prospective domestic workers of Philippine nationality may apply for exemption from entry restrictions through their employer or employment agency.

In view of the epidemic situation and the needs of the public, the Chief Executive’s Dispatch No. 64/2022 is gazetted today (25 April) to adjust the existing epidemic prevention and control measures with regard to border entry and exit. Several existing dispatches will be combined, amended or revoked starting from 00:00 on 26 April 2022.

According to paragraph 3 of the Dispatch, the Health Bureau will begin to accept applications of exemption from entry restrictions for eligible non-resident workers and prospective non-resident workers from 10:00am this morning. Those who are eligible to apply must be a Filipino domestic worker or prospective Filipino domestic worker (i.e. have already obtained an entry permit for domestic work purposes or a valid Non-resident Worker’s Identity Card for engaging in domestic work); their purpose of application is to take care of the elderly, young children and the sick; and the workers, their care recipients and the people living with the care recipients must conform to the COVID-19 vaccination requirements.

The application can be lodged by the worker’s employee or employment agency. For more information on the application method and eligibility requirements, please refer to the “Prevention Guidelines” in the Centre’s Special Webpage Against Epidemics.

The Centre states that taking into account the epidemic risks of the relevant countries/regions, non-Macao residents who do not have a resident status in Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR and the region of Taiwan may continue to apply for exemption from entry restrictions to the Health Bureau in accordance with the existing regulations, as long as they have not visited any places outside Mainland China, Macao SAR and Hong Kong SAR within 14 days, and are in exceptional cases of family reunification or close relationship with the Macao SAR.

For non-Macao residents who do not have a resident status of Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR and the region of Taiwan, and have been to places outside Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR and the region of Taiwan within 14 days, aside from the Filipino workers specified above, the application for exemption from entry restrictions will be open for the following categories in the next step: foreign teaching or research personnel that are in short supply locally, management staff of educational institutions, as well as students admitted to a higher educational institution in Macao. Application of these categories will be made available after coordination between the Education and Youth Development Bureau and the Labour Affairs Bureau.