Academic calls for non-resident dealers

The government should allow gaming operators to hire non-residents as dealers in order to promote the career advancement of local workers in this industry, said a Macau Polytechnic Institute (IPM) professor.
Local authorities have so far only authorised the hiring of resident workers for this position, claiming the measure ensures the employment of MSAR labour.
Although this view is not stated in any legislation or regulation, it was the target of a guideline issued by the Labour Affairs Bureau.
And last November, during his 2012 Policy Address, the Chief Executive again confirmed he was not willing to lift this restriction. “I can conclusively state that it [the importation of dealers] won’t happen during my mandate,” Fernando Chui Sai On said at the Legislative Assembly.
“Authorities should reconsider and study the hiring of non resident dealers,” Zeng Zhonglu said on Wednesday, quoted by Portuguese-language newspaper Tribuna de Macau.
The vice director of the IPM-Melco Gaming and Entertainment Information Technology Research and Development Centre believes the introduction of more competition could improve the labour market.
He stressed that there are currently over 20,000 dealers working in the territory, which account for more than half of all casino workers. And many have had access to a better career than expected, considering they lack higher education qualifications, Zeng added.
But the restrictions on outside labour might also prevent some dealers from being promoted, he said. “A competition mechanism is essential. It would be a measure to ensure they can reach higher positions,” the scholar explained.
On a first phase the government should allow the hiring of a small number of non-resident dealers, he said, while studying a long-term strategy for this issue.
With new resort Sands Cotai Central set to open this spring the need for human resources will increase, which Zeng said could fuel a new wave of job hopping, depleting the ranks of rival gaming operators.