Macao (RAE - China) - Wage arrears rising (2010)

With more foreign investment in the SAR, the increasing use of sub-contractors and the use of less-protected migrant workers, wages arrears has become a common problem, especially in the construction sector. The procedure to get wage arrears in front of the Labour Bureau is lengthy and cumbersome. According to the Civil Servants Union, a simple labour dispute could take one year to process by the Bureau followed by another two years in court. The majority of migrant workers cannot afford to wait this long, and many leave within this period.