Employer-sponsored work and stay authorisation documented by the Non-resident Worker's Identification Card.
Macau
Macau sits in Eastern Asia. Its immigration system runs 33 distinct routes — led by talent & merit, family and residence-based status, each set out in official law. All 33 cite an official government source, shown on the route with the date we last read it. Who actually qualifies depends on your full profile.
- Immigration routes
- 33across 11 route categories, each set out in official law
- Source-cited routes
- 33 of 33cite an official government source, with the date we last read it
- Largest category
- Talent & merit9 of the 33 routes — see them under Talent & merit below
- Region
- Eastern Asia
- Capital
- Macau
- Population
- 685,900
- Official language
- Portuguese, Chinese
- Currency
- MOP
- Time zone
- UTC+08:00
Immigration routes
All 33 routes, grouped by purpose — 33 of 33 cite an official government source directly.
Work
1 route
Investment
2 routes
Temporary Residence for a Major Investment through the Commerce and Investment Promotion Institute.
Temporary Residence for a Major Investment Plan through the Commerce and Investment Promotion Institute.
Business & self-employment
2 routes
Stay authorisation for a non-resident holding employment authorisation to conduct an activity for personal benefit as self-employed.
Self-employment stay authorisation for designated Wanzai or Hengqin residents holding a valid Macao hawker licence.
Talent & merit
9 routes
Current Advanced Professionals residence programme for a short-supply professional in Macao's Big Health Industry.
Current Advanced Professionals residence programme for a short-supply professional in Macao's Cultural, Sports and Other Industries.
Current Advanced Professionals residence programme for a short-supply professional in Macao's High-tech Industry.
Current Advanced Professionals residence programme for a short-supply professional in Macao's Modern Finance Industry.
Current talent-recruitment programme for a person with exceptional skills, globally recognised achievements or significant contributions.
Current Outstanding Talents residence programme for professional experience and technical skills supporting Macao's Big Health Industry.
Current Outstanding Talents residence programme for professional experience and technical skills supporting Macao's Cultural, Sports and Other Industries.
Current Outstanding Talents residence programme for professional experience and technical skills supporting Macao's High-tech Industry.
Current Outstanding Talents residence programme for professional experience and technical skills supporting Macao's Modern Finance Industry.
Study
1 route
Special stay authorisation for a non-resident admitted to a qualifying higher-education programme in Macao.
Family
4 routes
Residence authorisation for a Mainland China permit holder, including the published family-reunion application at the Border Gate.
Special stay authorisation for a qualifying family member of a Macao Resident Identity Card holder for family reunion.
Family-reunion stay authorisation for qualifying relatives of a non-resident worker.
Mandatory procedure to document and regularise the stay of a child born in Macao to parents holding an authorisation to stay.
Residence-based status
4 routes
Naturalisation procedure for a foreign national or stateless person who is a Macao permanent resident.
Residence authorisation procedure specifically available to a Portuguese national.
General Residence Authorization procedure for an eligible person outside the specific Mainland-permit and Portuguese categories.
Permanent-resident status for a person who falls within an official Macao right-of-abode category.
Short stay & visit
4 routes
Advance diplomatic, official or ordinary visitor visa obtained through a Chinese diplomatic mission or authorised representative office.
Paid authorisation to enter and stay obtained at a Macao checkpoint by a non-exempt traveller eligible to apply on arrival.
Advance entry authorisation for a non-exempt traveller, including the published agent route for six specified nationalities.
Visitor admission on arrival for a national or document holder exempt from a prior visa or entry permit.
Humanitarian protection
2 routes
Statutory refugee-status determination for a person requesting recognition in Macao under Law No. 1/2004.
— No eligibility summary published for this route yet
Ancestry & return
2 routes
Restoration procedure for a Macao resident and foreign national who previously held Chinese nationality.
Nationality-selection procedure for a Macao resident of both Chinese and Portuguese descent.
Other & special
2 routes
Special stay authorisation for specified non-residents serving a Macao public entity or performing official representative duties.
Special Stay Permit for staff of official Central People's Government representations working in Macao and their dependants.
Official sources
- Macao SAR GovernmentGovernment
- [NSO] Statistics and Census ServiceGovernment
See which Macau routes you actually qualify for.
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