Lowering the Odds in the Highest Stakes Game in Macau, Recruiters Join Forces with Integrated Resorts HR Departments to fight The War for Talent

Macau, China (PRWEB) June 3, 2008 -- Macau Business Magazine recently reported that "the Study on Manpower Assessment and Needs for Macau showed that based on the ratio differences in 5 sectors and the labor force in Macau in 2006, Macau would need another 156,000 workers to sustain the kind of round-the-clock operations as found in Las Vegas" and are being built here as we issue this press release. Hotel and Gaming will need approximately 66,000 alone, followed by wholesale and retail at "about 33,500". This is in a country of 28.6 square kilometers (less than 12 square miles) that has less than 600,000 (531,400 in Macau Business May 2008) in population with a 2.9% unemployment rate (Macau Business May 2008) and a 24% employee turnover rate (Macau Business 2008 lowest estimate). A simple equation assuming that the unemployment rate goes to zero%, shows there is not one tenth of the number of bodies required to fill the positions coming on-line by the end of 2011, even if zero unemployment were possible. It is a foregone conclusion that there needs to be an influx of foreigner workers to fill most of these jobs.

There are a number of things that need to be considered before it may be said "It's all going to work itself out". First there is governance that is less than 10 years old and is somewhat like a deer caught in the headlights of this unprecedented development. It is, unfortunately, operating under the black cloud in the form of a recent major influence buying scandal. It also seems that it takes its immigration policy cues from the PRC. Understandably, for the moment, the PRC government, between earthquakes in Sichuan, protests in Tibet, and the upcoming Summer Olympics in Beijing, is not able to put a great deal of time and energy into sorting out the foreign labor immigration issue here in Macau. The issue becomes even more complex when the citizenry, and many members of the local press, believe that the influx of foreign labor is "stealing" jobs from the locals. The government recently mailed out a MOP 5,000 bonus to all of its residents at the end of April in a well timed effort to "stem inflation" but the truth is that it came just a few days before May 1, a holiday generally marked by protests and unrest with the foreign labor issue usually at the forefront. While the contention that jobs are being stolen may seem off base at face value, it is the fact that management and executive positions are being given to outsiders that has the locals upset. There is more than a little truth to that suggestion. It is safe to assume that the government in Macau is essentially honest and hardworking with the best interests of its citizenry in mind. It is simply very young and very challenged.

Secondly, there is the immigration/foreign labor visa system. It is, to many people, very arcane and borderline draconian in its comprehension and operation. The fact of the matter is simply this, it is what it is, an overburdened system being crushed by the number of requests for processing which far exceeds what it was designed to handle. Anyone who has tried to get something done quickly in Mexico or Jamaica (or most DMV offices) can relate. People just have to be patient and play by the rules. The problem for the Aussies and the Las Vegans coming into Macau is that law is outlined in Cantonese and Portuguese. Yes there are translations but there are some inconsistencies as to what one experiences at Immigration in Macau, Immigration at the border crossing(s), and the Department of Labor. These are inconsistencies between a reading of the law in English and what happens at the respective agencies as well as inconsistencies from experience to experience. This is mostly due to applicant pilot error. However, this is not the issue facing the employers who are bringing the foreign workers. The issues are the visas and the granting of them. There are basically 3 ways to legally work in Macau for any length of time beyond 6 months, and only 2 apply, a non-skilled visa (A-12) or a skilled employment visa (A-49). The non-skilled visas are applied for on a "quota" basis in bulk numbers and the skilled visas are applied for on an individual basis.

Lastly there is Macau itself, a sleepy tiny country that was part of Portugal for about 450 years prior to 1999 when it was given back to China. Macau has always been 95% Chinese and Portugal will never be accused of micromanaging the country's affairs. There is only one place like it. The people are friendly and kind, all cultural differences aside. Its history and architecture are fascinating and charming. It is safer to walk the streets at night here than Las Vegas. The country is not Switzerland or Singapore-style clean but it is clean enough and getting cleaner every month. It is simple to navigate and get around, with the exception of some poorly timed attempts to cross the border or get a taxi, it is pretty easy to find wherever you need to go without much trouble. It is small, very small and if someone does not like to gamble or visit historic churches there is a very finite number of things to do. There is some hiking in Coloane, 2 decent golf courses, a horse track, dog track and go-cart track (not only for gambling, it's fun to watch the races), some decent restaurants and shopping, a very fine art museum and cultural center, a wine museum, a Grand Prix museum and that's getting close to the end of the list. There is more to do than 2 years ago but it is still limited. One must understand that it takes a specific type of person/personality who has a genuine desire and reason to be in Macau in order to happily live here. Macau is not for everyone.

The controllable solutions are happening in the form of strategic plans that are executed with respect, honesty and integrity by professional recruiters and the employers who need these foreign workers. Businesses are working with seasoned, experienced, trained, Macau-based recruiting professionals to move the Macau locals into the executive and management positions that their skill sets will allow them to be successful in. It has proven necessary to use recruiters to locate the best talent from abroad to help them operate and succeed in this challenging and unique environment. They are partnering with HR/Recruitment companies that can assist them in searching for and finding this talent, managing ATS systems, in being creative in the formulation and presentation of compensation/benefits, in running well executed on-boarding of new employees, in having disciplined and well thought-out retention programs, and finally training, training, training. This is allowing the HR departments to devote the time and energy necessary to succeed in the visa application management. That partnering is how the odds are being lowered in this talent crisis. 156,000 people in essentially 3 years translates to about 150 people a day 7 days a week. There is a long row to hoe.

Contact:

John Cunin

+853 6676 9797 mobile

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