A proposal put forward by the Executive Council’s spokesperson and Secretary for Administration and Justice, Wong Sio Chak, sets a minimum wage of 35 patacas (3.8 euros) per hour.
“It is estimated that about 18,200 workers, representing 4.4% of the total workforce, excluding domestic workers, will benefit,” Wong stated at a press conference.
Wong explained that the proposal was crafted “after consulting the opinions of employers and employees within the Standing Council for Social Concertation.”
The revision will now be sent for discussion in the Macau Legislative Assembly, with the government of the Chinese semi-autonomous region aiming to implement the increase from January 1.
The Director of the Labour Affairs Bureau (DSAL) advocated for the exclusion of domestic workers.
“When the law was established, the main premise was the ‘unique nature’ of domestic work and the need for the worker to ‘integrate’ into the employer’s family life,” Chan Un Tong noted.
“However, even though this legislation does not apply to them, it doesn’t mean their rights are not protected,” he added.
Currently, for new domestic worker contracts signed from July 2024, the minimum remuneration set by the DSAL is 3,200 patacas (345 euros).
Chan mentioned that the median salary for these contracts is around 3,800 patacas (410 euros), a figure he believes “demonstrates that even excluded from the general regime, there are mechanisms ensuring reasonable remuneration.”
In Macau, many workers do not live with their employer’s family and it is common for many to share a room.
In 2023, Macau approved an expansion of the minimum wage, setting it at 34 patacas (3.67 euros) per hour or 7,072 patacas (7.6 euros) monthly, but excluding domestic workers from the decree.
Until that point, the minimum wage covered only cleaning and security workers in property management activities.
The UN Human Rights Committee questioned Macau in July 2022 “why non-resident domestic workers are treated differently” and, unlike other workers, are not covered by the minimum wage.
“What measures is the DSAL taking to protect the lives of migrant domestic workers, who are particularly vulnerable to illegal and abusive treatment by employers,” questioned committee member Shuichi Furuya.
Explaining why domestic workers are not entitled to the minimum wage, the DSAL responded to the committee that this group is “a special case” and that “employers are providing employment without a profit motive.”
According to official DSAL data, as of the end of August, over 28,000 domestic workers were employed in Macau, most of whom came from the Philippines (about 15,250).
