(Photo: Livelihood Affairs Bureau of the Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin)
New measures for supporting Macao youth employment in Hengqin, introduced on December 31, 2024 by the Livelihood Affairs Bureau of the Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin will officially take effect on February 1, 2025, with a validity period of three years.
The measures set out in detail eligibility criteria, application procedures, and subsidy standards, for subsidies and rewards to be provided for both Macao youth employed within the cooperation zone and their employers.
Macao youth employed in Hengqin can apply for a subsidy of RMB 4,000 per person per month, lasting up to a maximum of 36 months. Additionally, those who have already been employed in Hengqin and meet the criteria can apply for a one-time subsidy of 30% of the cost based on the provincial social training and evaluation organizations recognized by Guangdong's human resources and social security departments, following the standards in relevant provincial policies.
Employers hiring qualified Macao youth can apply for an employment reward of RMB 1,000 per person per month, with the maximum reward period for each employee lasting up to 36 months. Employers who hire 30 or more eligible Macao youth in a single year are also eligible for an additional one-time bonus of RMB 200,000. The maximum total for employment rewards and bonus incentives a single employer can receive per year is RMB 1.5 million. Moreover, employers can apply for full reimbursement for the employer's contribution to social insurance premiums paid for the Macao youth, with the reimbursement period also lasting up to 36 months.
(Photo: Livelihood Affairs Bureau of the Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin)
For Macao Youth Applicants
· Macao residents aged 18 to 45.
· Employed exclusively by a business in Hengqin with a signed labor contract of at least one year or an indefinite-term contract.
· Must have at least a college degree, vocational qualification certificate, or vocational skills certification.
· Must not have been employed in Macao or have any mandatory social insurance records during their employment in Hengqin.
· Must have paid social insurance for at least six months in Hengqin.
· The actual workplace and the location where income tax on wages and salaries is paid must both be Hengqin.
· Cannot be a shareholder, legal representative, or partner in any employer.
· Must have no criminal record.
For Employers
· Enterprises, individual economic organizations, private non-enterprise units, and others legally registered in Hengqin.
· Must be operationally active in Hengqin.
· Must have at least 3 square meters of business premises per employee.
· At least 30% of employees must have paid social insurance for six months or more in the previous tax year.
· Must operate in compliance with the law, with no history of violations or business irregularities when applying for subsidies or rewards.
*Employers that are registered in concentrated office areas without actual business operations in Hengqin do not meet the application requirements.
Reporter: Zeng Xiangxing
Editor: Hu Nan, James, Shen He
