NOTE:    The Chinese and Portuguese versions of the text of this dispatch are legally binding.

This English version is for reference only.

 

Dispatch no. 12/GM/88, February 1

Importation of Non-Resident Workers

1. Only Macau residents can hire labor directly with their employers, whether it is work paid by means of a pre-established salary or work paid by piecework or by design.

2. Within the limits and under the conditions set by applicable laws, the hiring mentioned in the previous paragraph is free.

3. However, Macau enterprises may conclude contracts of rendering of services covering the provision of work by non-residents with third party entities, provided that a favorable authorization has been obtained from the Governor.

 4. The authorization mentioned in the previous paragraph shall be issued upon request of the interested entity; it shall be preceded by the opinions of the Labor Affairs Bureau and the Economic Services Bureau.

5. The opinion of the Labor Affairs Bureau shall mainly consider the following:

a) The possible availability of resident manpower for the work needs to be satisfied;

b) The current level of salaries of resident workers;

c) The proportion between resident and non-resident workers deemed to be acceptable;

d) The regularity of the performance of legal obligations towards resident workers.

6. The opinion of the Economic Services Bureau shall mainly consider the following:

a) The manpower needs in relation to the production volume expected;

b) The expected sales of the anticipated production volume;

c) The relation of compatibility deemed adequate between the increase use of manpower and the technological improvements which may render the manpower totally or partially unnecessary;

d) The relative importance of the productive unit within the sector and the relative priority of the sector under the established economic policy guidelines.

7. Entities supplying non-resident manpower must have a specific authorization, which shall be granted by dispatch of the Governor, upon request of the interested party; it shall be preceded by the opinions of competent services of the Labour Affairs Bureau, of the Economic Services Bureau, and of the Public Security Police Force.

8. The opinion mentioned in the previous paragraph shall consider mainly the following:

a) In general terms, the suitability of the applicant to exercise the proposed functions;

b) The applicant’s capacity to perform the obligations undertaken, namely regarding the supply of appropriate housing to non-resident workers and to arrange their immediate repatriation whenever they become unnecessary, or whenever their stay becomes undesirable for any reason;

9. The procedure for hiring non-resident workers shall follow the following steps:

a) The application of the interested party shall be handed in the Office of the Secretary for Economy and Finance, who shall decide; the Secretary shall hear the opinions of the Labor Affairs Bureau, and of the Economic Services Bureau, or shall request clarifications as deemed necessary;

b) The Labor Affairs Bureau and the Economic Services Bureau shall provide an opinion on the request within 10 working days;

c) After obtaining the opinions mentioned in the previous paragraph, a dispatch deciding upon the requested admission shall be issued; if the response is positive, it shall order the applicant to hand in a contract of rendering of services with an entity authorized as a supplier of non-resident workers, as mentioned in paragraph 7;

d) The contract shall be sent to the Labor Affairs Bureau, which shall verify and provide information on whether the minimum requirements necessary for the purpose are met, namely the following:

d.1. a direct or indirect guarantee of proper housing for the workers;

d.2. payment of the salary that agreed with the employing enterprise;

d.3. health and maternity assistance;  

d.4. assistance in case of occupational injuries or diseases;

d.5. repatriation of employees considered undesirable. (The obligations mentioned in d.3 and d.4 shall be compulsorily guaranteed by means of insurance);

e) Once the information mentioned in the previous paragraph has been provided, a dispatch shall be issued deciding on the approval of the terms and conditions of hiring of the non-resident workers; the file shall be sent to the Commander of the Public Security Police Force;

f) The Commander of the Public Security Police Force shall issue a dispatch ordering the presentation of a nominative list of the workers to be recruited, and shall subsequently decide on their entry and stay in the Territory;

10. The Office of the Secretary for Economy and Finance shall keep an appropriate record of the authorizations granted for non-resident work, which can be cancelled, totally or partially, without the need for prior notice.

11. The Commander of the Public Security Police Force may order individuals or certain individuals who have been allowed to enter the Territory as non-resident workers to leave the Territory.

12. The orders mentioned in the previous points shall cause:

a) In the case of paragraph 10, the removal of the workers who became redundant from the productive unit where they render service, without prejudice to their possible re-employment in another productive unit holding the necessary authorization for such purpose;

b) In the case of paragraph 11, the immediate repatriation of the non-resident worker whose stay in the Territory is deemed undesirable; the cost shall be paid by the entity entitled to recruitment and which has custody of the worker.

13. An identification document shall be issued to non-resident workers, in accordance with a model approved by dispatch of the Governor and published in the Official Bulletin, and which shall be issued through the Command of the Public Security Police Force.

14. The mentioned identification document shall be compulsorily presented whenever requested by any official entity, namely agents of the Security Forces and inspectors of the Labor Affairs Bureau and the Economic Services Bureau.

15. The mentioned document shall state compulsorily the following:

a) the holder’s personal identification details, with a recent picture;

b) the capacity of non-resident worker;

c) the entity having their custody, and the entity for which they are authorized to render service.

16. The Finance Services Bureau shall issue rules and instructions necessary to clarify tax issues arising from this dispatch.

17. The competences mentioned in paragraph 7, sub-paragraphs c) and e) of paragraph 9, and paragraph10, may be exercised by the Secretary for Economy and Finance.