From November 2024 to January 2025, the overall unemployment rate in Macau was 1.6%, a decrease of 0.1 percentage points compared to the previous year.

According to data from the Statistics and Census Bureau of Macau, the overall unemployment rate (1.6%) and the unemployment rate of local residents in Macau (2.1%) from November 2024 to January 2025 decreased by 0.1 and 0.2 percentage points respectively compared to the previous period (October to December 2024). This was mainly due to the Lunar New Year factor causing a decrease in the number of people looking for work, resulting in a decrease in the number of unemployed; the overall underemployment rate also decreased by 0.2 percentage points to 1.3%. The labor force in Macau (382,500 people) and the employed population (376,300 people) decreased by 2,500 and 2,000 people respectively compared to the previous period, with the number of local employed residents in Macau (285,000 people) decreasing by 1,000. By industry, the employment in the hotel and catering industry and the construction industry decreased, while the gaming industry saw an increase. The number of unemployed people (6,200 people) decreased by 500 compared to the previous period; among the unemployed looking for new jobs, those who were previously employed in the retail and gaming industries accounted for the majority. On the other hand, the proportion of new labor force looking for their first job among the total unemployed decreased by 3.1 percentage points to 10.8%. The number of underemployed people (5,000 people) decreased by 700 compared to the previous period, with the majority coming from the real estate and business services industry. Compared to November 2023 to January 2024, the overall labor force participation rate (67.2%), unemployment rate (1.6%), and underemployment rate (1.3%) decreased by 0.7, 0.6, and 0.2 percentage points respectively. The scope of the employment survey covers all residential units in the Macau Peninsula, Taipa, and Coloane, excluding collective living units such as school dormitories and nursing homes. The survey includes residents living in the units, excluding Macau residents or foreign employees working in Macau but living outside the territory. Based on preliminary immigration data, it is estimated that there were approximately 104,900 Macau residents and foreign employees working in Macau but living outside the territory during the reference period. When including this group of people, the total labor force (approximately 487,500 people) decreased by 2,100 compared to the previous period.