Despite its small territory, Macau is a popular destination for expats to live and work. Known for its highly developed tourism and entertainment sector, it’s an especially popular spot for those seeking career advancement in these fields.
Labour market
Macau has a well-developed economy that is primarily driven by tourism and the gambling sector. The region's GDP reached USD $44.8 billion in 2016, and its main contributor was the service sector.
Macau's major industries are, naturally, tourism and gambling, textiles and electronics. Macau has a workforce of about 330,900 with most of the population working in the F&B sector, casinos, wholesale and retail trade, transport and communications, financial services and more.
Foreign nationals in Macau can find an abundance of employment opportunities ' especially in the tourism and gambling sectors and with a variety of resorts, casinos, restaurants and entertainment centres, there is no shortage of job offer for qualified personnel.
Macau is characterised by a relatively low cost of living ' especially when compared to other major Asian cities. The average monthly salary for professionals in Macau is around MOP 17,000 ' this may be lower than in other big cities in Asia, but Macau's friendly society allows for a comfortable lifestyle for expats residing here.
Macau's official work week is 48 hours with the majority of employees working six days a week. The longer work week is typical for those employed in the F&B sector and the gaming industry. Public companies tend to have a more relaxed working schedule with five days a week, working from 9am to 5.45pm. Most companies in Macau offer six days of paid leave, and you are also entitled to eight public holidays.
Important:
If you want to work in Macau, you will need to apply for a work permit ' the application process is very straightforward and you can find out more details in the 'Visas for Macau' article.
Finding a job in Macau
With the large number of English language resources, looking for a job in Macau is not complicated. You can check out any job hunting website for available vacancies or submit your profile and CV. If you already have in mind the company you wish to work for, don't hesitate to submit a direct application: contact the HR department with your updated CV.
If you want to work in the F&B, hospitality or entertainment sector, you can also look through the list of hotels, casinos and restaurants in the city and get in touch with them directly. Yet another option is to use a recruitment agency and ask an agent to look for a suitable position to match your qualifications. As mentioned earlier, Macau is a particularly fruitful job hunting ground for professionals in F&B, hospitality and entertainment ' however, career opportunities also exist in other fields: education, finances, marketing, etc.. Make sure to keep an updated Linkedin profile and network actively online and offline to increase the chances of getting your dream job in Macau.
Useful links:
We do our best to provide accurate and up to date information. However, if you have noticed any inaccuracies in this article, please let us know in the comments section below.
