Sands China has let more than 3,000 non-local employees go since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Sands China President Wilfred Wong.
The cost-cutting exercise, reported by Macau Business, comes as Macau’s concessionaires continue to report heavy losses with investment bank Morgan Stanley recently estimating that the operators were losing a combined US$800 million per quarter as China continues to pursue a zero-COVID policy.
While Wong did not reveal how many local workers have been dismissed, he said that around 75% of Sands China’s current workforce are Macau locals.
The number of non-resident workers employed by Macau’s six concessionaires had fallen by 32.6% since the start of the pandemic, with 11,434 non-resident workers having left as per figures made public by the Labour Affairs Bureau (DSAL) in February.
The prioritization of local employees is referenced in Macau’s gaming law, with recent amendments to the law currently with the Legislative Assembly placing further emphasis on encouraging the promotion of locals over foreigners.
DSAL said in February that it would look to “ensure the priority and continuous employment of local employees” and “review the labor market conditions in a timely manner to regulate the number of non-local employees.”
On future employment opportunities within Macau’s IR sector, DSAL stated, “If there are suitable or sufficient local employees for the relevant positions, the application of non-local employees with corresponding occupations will not be approved, or the company will be required to arrange for relevant foreign employees to leave the field. The number of non-local employees will be [reduced] and local employees will be given priority in employment.”
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