Macau's general unemployment rate for February-April rose 0.1 percentage point to 2.2 percent from the previous employment survey period (January-March 2020), while the unemployment rate of local residents grew 0.2 percentage points to 3.1 percent, the Statistics and Census Bureau (DSEC) has announced. 

The general unemployment rate comprises local employees and non-resident workers. 

Yesterday's DSEC statement attributed the rise in unemployment to the impact of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on the local economy.

Macau's total labour force was 403,100 and the labour force participation rate stood at 70.0 percent in the January-March survey period.. Total employment was 394,200 and the number of employed residents totalled 277,900, down by 3,200 and 2,300 respectively from the previous period. Employment in the transport and storage sector as well as the hotel and restaurants sectors recorded "relatively large decreases", the statement said. 

The number of the unemployed continued to rise, up by 400 from the previous period to 8,900. Among the unemployed population searching for a new job, most of them were previously working in the gaming, junket and construction sectors. The share of new labour market entrants seeking their first job decreased by 2.3 percentage points to 5.8 percent of the total unemployed.

Compared with February-April 2019 , the general unemployment rate rose 0.5 percentage point, while the labour force participation rate remained unchanged.