Macao jobless youth turn to food delivery as lawmaker urges review of imported labour

Of the unemployed population in Macao, more than half are below the age of 34.

Some are turning to part-time food delivery work to make ends meet.

During the pandemic, the number of delivery riders across the enclave's three major platforms once topped 6,000.

Now, that figure has fallen by about half.

Today, the average rider is 32 years old and more than 70 percent work part-time.

Urging the government to step up efforts to improve local employment opportunities.

Macao's lawmaker Leong Sun-lok says around 15,000 local companies employ non-local workers, and over half of imported labour work in large enterprises.

As Macao's government earlier noted its concern in youth employment, Leong suggests through targeted training, thousands of professional positions currently held by foreign workers could be opened to local young people.