Macao (RAE - China) - Migrant workers denied rights (2010)

There were an estimated 89,300 non-resident workers in November 2009, a decrease from the preceding year. Over half are from mainland China. Migrant workers are denied the most basic forms of protection and have no right to collective bargaining and no effective legal recourse in the case of unfair dismissal. Most generally earn less than half the wage of local workers employed at the same job, and contracts are between labour recruitment agents and the employer, rather than directly between the employee and his or her boss. According to independent legislators and migrants’ group, the new law on the Employment of Foreign Employees from October 2009 remains discriminatory and is too vague. The bill imposes a levy on employers of non-resident workers, gives a six month re-entry ban on workers who terminate their contracts and prohibits the transfer to other job categories.