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Jobs

Jobs
News about job creation, job losses, labour disputes, wage trends and other developments from around the world with a focus on Hong Kong and China.
Young people line up at career guidance booths during a job fair in Beijing on March 14 as China’s youth unemployment rate grows amid a testing post-holiday labour market. Photo: Reuters
China jobs

China’s youth unemployment falls for sixth consecutive month in February

But young job-hunters say they are still struggling to find work in a testing post-holiday labour market amid rising global economic uncertainty.

Japan

‘Poor’ foreigners not welcome? Japan bets on AI while upping visa fee

Indonesia

Top of the world: why Indonesian workers are happiest in Asia-Pacific

Asean

Southeast Asia’s scam compound survivors suffer in stigma and silence

Many survivors return home to inhabit a murky space between victim and offender, with few support services to help them reintegrate.

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Detained scam centre workers are seen after a raid on a compound in Myanmar’s eastern Myawaddy township last year. Photo: AFP
United States

Meta plans to cut up to 20% of staff to fund AI infrastructure

If Meta settles on the 20 per cent figure, the lay-offs will be its biggest since 21,000 were made redundant in its ‘year of efficiency’.

Hong Kong healthcare and hospitals

Funding cuts trigger calls for help on jobs from Hong Kong’s physiotherapists

Hong Kong Physiotherapy Association alarmed by hiring freezes and job losses at NGOs despite rising demand for services.

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Hong Kong economy

Exclusive | Hong Kong job openings hit 6-year low in 69% of sectors amid AI’s ascent

Vacancies in 23 out of 33 job sectors, including IT and customer service, fell to their lowest number in six years.

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Industries with fewer job openings were those heavily associated with the use of AI. Photo: Karma Lo
China consumption

Beijing urged to boost rural pensions as lawmakers fight for farmers’ fair share

Appeals highlight a long-standing lack of benefits for elderly citizens outside cities, and proposals include leveraging state assets and new taxes to bridge the vast disparity.

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Hong Kong economy

Proposed 33% rise in MPF payments ‘may pile on business pressure, hit jobs’

But labour sector lawmaker calls for bolder increases in maximum income level threshold to meet statutory requirements and reflect rising salaries.

India

Boom times for India’s economy but opportunities remain uneven

Analysts caution that a significant portion of India’s workforce remains in relatively low-productivity and informal sectors.

The newly constructed coastal road in front of the city skyline during sunset in Mumbai, India, in February. Photo: AFP
United States

US sheds 92,000 jobs in warning sign for Trump’s economy

Unemployment crept up, while job numbers showed a surprise reversal from growth in the previous month.

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Workers rebuild a home in Altadena, California, on Friday. The US construction sector lost 11,000 jobs in February. Photo: AFP
China jobs

China should up education spending to help population adapt to AI era: economist

Prominent Chinese economist says it is imperative to ensure the next generation can withstand the changes being driven by AI.

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Nepal

‘This is our moment’: Nepal’s Gen Z voters hope for ‘turning point’ in election

While all the parties have pledged economic growth and job creation, thousands are leaving Nepal each day in search of a better life.

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Thailand

‘Not going anywhere’: Thai workers in Israel refuse to flee despite Iran threat

Bangkok has been here before: 46 Thais died in the Hamas assault that started the Gaza war. Now it fears history may be repeating.

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Rescue workers attend to a wounded man at a site struck by an Iranian missile in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Saturday. Photo: AP
Artificial intelligence

Outside In | Everyone agrees that AI is big. No one agrees on what comes next

Job fears, environmental strain and security threats are fuelling the botlash, yet experts remain divided over its net impact – and our ability to contain the risks.

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A protest against Elon Musk’s xAI, federal law enforcement agents, the deployment of the National Guard during the “Get Out of Memphis” protest in Tennessee, US, on October 4, 2025. Photo: AFP
Japan

Cash-for-tips scheme in Japan sparks debate over migrant rights

Backers argue tougher measures are needed to curb unauthorised employment, but migrant advocates fear unintended social consequences.

China-EU relations

Opinion | Germany’s outreach to China signals a reckoning, rather than a shift

The German chancellor realises that while China poses a long-term economic challenge, the United States is currently the more disruptive partner.

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Japan

Clocking off: is Japan’s culture of overwork finally dying?

The average hours put in by Japanese workers are lower than those of their American and Italian counterparts.

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People cross a road in Tokyo, Japan. Government reforms over the past two decades had helped reduce average working hours. Photo: AFP
China education

China’s vocational degrees rising as students seek skills over prestige

Job-placement rates for vocational undergraduate colleges now outpace traditional universities, as youth unemployment drives pivot to more reliable employment path.

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Artificial intelligence

China’s tech giants pursue AI, semiconductor talent in US amid fierce rivalry

ByteDance, Baidu, Alibaba Cloud and MiniMax are among the firms now actively recruiting fresh talent in the US.

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Trade

Outside In | Try as it might, the US alone can’t reverse the tide of globalisation

Accounting for a significant share of world trade, Europe and Asia are far more decisive players in the fast-changing globalised economy.

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A worker is seen on an LED production line at an electronics company in Zigui county, central China’s Hubei province, on January 27. Photo: Xinhua
Hong Kong society

Editorial | Minimum wage rises must not leave behind city’s most vulnerable

As the economic pie grows, money-making companies can afford to do more so employees who are struggling get their fair share of return.

Cleaning workers on the job in Mong Kok on May 1, 2025. Photo: Jelly Tse
US-China relations

Opinion | US and China can again find common ground – in AI’s risks

If Beijing and Washington could meet in 1972 to manage a shared threat, today’s leaders can cooperate to shape the rules of AI.

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Artificial intelligence

Opinion | How recent graduates entering the job market can outperform AI

As automation erodes cognitive and interpersonal skills, those who embrace the struggle of enhancing offline reasoning will thrive.

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Artificial intelligence

Letters | AI is taking an invisible toll on humans working alongside it

Readers discuss the mental health toll of AI adoption, early intervention in youth mental health, and ‘love intelligence’.

Workers work on BYD vehicles on the production line in the Chinese company’s electric vehicle factory at the Industrial Complex in Camacari, Bahia, Brazil on February 3. As Chinese technology firms expanding across Brazilian infrastructure and both countries navigate AI adoption, this partnership offers ground for addressing the human cost of adaptation. Photo: Reuters
Ageing society

Opinion | Hong Kong should see the ‘silver economy’ as a golden opportunity

The city could reframe its ageing trend by working to become a global capital for ‘longevity finance’ and supporting East-West healthcare innovations.

An elderly woman sits on a chair on the road in front of a fruit and vegetable seller in a market in Causeway Bay in December 2024. Photo: Antony Dickson
Singapore

Singapore set for US$12 billion surplus as Wong unveils AI ambitions in budget

PM Lawrence Wong says while defence spending will be kept at about 3 per cent of GDP, Singapore is prepared to spend more if the need arises.

Hong Kong politics

Opinion | Hong Kong’s civil service won’t benefit from a universal retirement age hike

The civil service needs nuanced refinements that prioritise quality over quantity, not mandates that threaten talent inflow and retention.

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