The Macau Metro Monitor, May 13, 2011

MIGRANT WORKERS TO RISE 20,000 IN 2011 Macau Daily Times

Secretary Tam said that the number of imported workers in Macau will increase by around 20,000 for 2011.  "Starting now it's appropriate to increase 1,000 to 2,000 [migrant workers] per month, which coincides with what I've said earlier that the employment population is expected to grow about 10% this year. This figure [10%] corresponds with Macau's economic development at this stage.  With the opening of a large-scale project [Galaxy Macau], the increase in imported laborers is going to be reflected in the statistics in the coming few months."

GRH has approved altogether 106,354 non-locals to come to work in Macau as of the end of March, an increase from 104,407 and 102,857 respectively at the end of February and January this year.  Yet, only about 76% of these people have already arrived in Macau and obtained a work permit (blue card).  As of the end of March, there were 81,416 blue card holders, and in February and January the figures were 79,467 and 77,903, respectively.

He stressed the 1:1 ratio is still one of the major considerations of GRH when approving imported workers for Sands China's Parcels 5 and 6 construction on the Cotai Strip. Also, there are no plans to change the 6-month entry ban stipulated in the Law for the Employment of Non-resident Workers.

PACKAGE TOURS AND HOTEL OCCUPANCY RATE FOR MARCH 2011 DSEC

Visitor arrivals in package tours decreased by 2.3% YoY to 498,972 in March 2011.  Visitors from Mainland China (364,333); Taiwan (26,760); and the Republic of Korea (19,912) increased by 2.5%, 6.1% and 40.5% respectively. However, a decrease was observed in the visitors coming from Japan (19,452), Hong Kong (19,125), Thailand (10,072) and Malaysia (9,305).