Macau tightens cash handout rules by adding 183-day residency requirement

Macau's government has announced stricter eligibility criteria for its longstanding cash handout program, introducing a new requirement that recipients must have spent at least 183 days in the city during 2024 to qualify.

The revised policy, outlined in the newly drafted administrative regulations for the 2025 Wealth Partaking Scheme, marks the first major overhaul of the program since its launch in 2008.

Under the updated rules, permanent residents will continue to receive 10,000 patacas, while non-permanent residents remain eligible for 6,000 patacas. However, both groups must now meet the new residency threshold in addition to existing identity requirements.

Authorities have outlined several exemptions to accommodate special circumstances. Three groups will be exempt from the 183-day rule: residents under age 22 with at least one eligible parent, recipients of disability pensions, and those receiving disability allowances. 

Additionally, the government will count time spent outside Macau toward the residency requirement for eight specific situations, including enrollment in recognized higher education programs, hospitalization, being aged 65 or older and residing in mainland China, or working in mainland cities within the Greater Bay Area.