World 8.2bn peopleGDP $118tnLife expectancy 73.5 yrsOnline 73.6%
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Labour · East Asia & Pacific · High income

Macao: the labour market

Labour force is 401,572 (2025), 161st of 187 in the world and 21st of 29 in East Asia & Pacific. Participation rate is 67.8% (2025), 38th of 187 in the world and 8th of 29 in East Asia & Pacific. Women's participation is 63.1% (2025), 28th of 187 in the world and 7th of 29 in East Asia & Pacific.

Labour force401,5722025 · world 161/187 · region 21/29Participation rate67.8%2025 · world 38/187 · region 8/29Women's participation63.1%2025 · world 28/187 · region 7/29Employment rate66.3%2025 · world 30/187 · region 7/29
Labour force
Macao
0200,000400,000600,0001995200020052010201520202025Macao401,572
Participation rate
MacaoEast Asia & PacificHigh incomeWorld
55%60%65%70%75%1995200020052010201520202025Macao67.8%East Asia & PacificHigh incomeWorld
13 indicators

Labour: Macao in detail

Latest reported value, world rank and rank within East Asia & Pacific; values around 2000, 2010, 2020; group and world columns are World Bank aggregates.

IndicatorLatestWorld rankIn region~2000~2010~202010-year changeRegionIncome groupWorldSince 2000
Labour forceLabour force, total401,5722025161/18721/29217,883327,912403,030+1.5%since 20151.3bn734m3.7bn
Participation rateLabour force participation, % of 15+67.8%202538/1878/2965.5%70.0%68.7%−3.0 ppsince 201565.2%61.0%61.0%
Women's participationFemale labour force participation, % of women 15+63.1%202528/1877/2956.5%64.4%63.7%−3.0 ppsince 201558.1%54.3%48.9%
Employment rateEmployment to population ratio, 15+ (ILO)66.3%202530/1877/2961.0%68.0%66.9%−3.3 ppsince 201562.7%58.3%58.1%
UnemploymentUnemployment, % of labour force (ILO)2.3%2025165/18721/296.9%2.8%2.5%+0.5 ppsince 20153.8%4.4%4.8%
Female unemploymentFemale unemployment, % of female labour force (ILO)2.1%2025172/18723/294.7%2.1%2.2%+0.4 ppsince 20153.4%4.6%4.9%
Youth unemploymentYouth unemployment, ages 15–24 (ILO)6.8%2025148/18719/2910.9%5.4%7.6%+2.4 ppsince 201512.5%11.5%13.4%
Youth NEET rateYouth not in education, employment or training, %5.0%2016165/17027/28·6.2%·—15.3%10.6%—
Wage workersWage and salaried workers, % of total employment93.2%202510/1871/2988.2%92.1%93.2%−0.1 ppsince 201561.0%88.9%53.6%
Vulnerable employmentVulnerable employment, % of total employment (ILO)3.3%2025182/18729/298.4%4.8%3.5%±0.0 ppsince 201535.3%8.0%42.4%
Jobs in agricultureEmployment in agriculture, % of total employment0.4%2025185/18727/290.4%0.4%0.4%±0.0 ppsince 201521.7%2.9%25.8%
Jobs in industryEmployment in industry, % of total employment11.0%2025162/18724/2920.8%15.2%12.1%−3.6 ppsince 201528.5%22.2%23.7%
Jobs in servicesEmployment in services, % of total employment88.6%20253/1871/2978.8%84.4%87.5%+3.6 ppsince 201549.9%74.9%50.6%
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)“·” — no value reported within two years of that date. World rank counts countries with a recent value.

Better than ten years ago

No rated indicator improved over the decade.

Worse than ten years ago

Only indicators where higher or lower is clearly better are rated (for example, unemployment down is better, life expectancy up is better).

nearest countries

Macao and its nearest countries

Macao has no land border; compared with the closest countries by distance between capitals. Latest values since 2005; the highest in each row is marked.

IndicatorMacaoHong KongVietnamPhilippinesLaos
Labour force401,57220253.8m202557.0m202552.2m20253.7m2025
Participation rate67.8%202556.4%202572.8%202561.4%202566.1%2025
Women's participation63.1%202551.8%202568.6%202550.5%202561.6%2025
Employment rate66.3%202554.8%202571.7%202560.0%202565.3%2025
Unemployment2.3%20252.8%20251.5%20252.2%20251.2%2025
Female unemployment2.1%20252.3%20251.4%20252.5%20250.9%2025
Youth unemployment6.8%20259.0%20256.2%20257.0%20252.4%2025
Youth NEET rate5.0%20166.0%202510.3%202416.5%202422.5%2022
Wage workers93.2%202592.3%202546.7%202563.9%202522.9%2025
Hong Kong: labourVietnam: labourPhilippines: labourLaos: labour
Labour in East Asia & Pacificall 37 economies rankedLabour: high-income countries86 economies rankedLabour: world leaderboardstop and bottom countriesMacao: all key statisticscountry profile