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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.
Tailor Marco Lema, 35, of Ecuador, works on an embroidered shirt at Nordstrom headquarters in New York, Monday, March 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)
Fashion

US$20 for a jacket, US$280 for tailoring. How demand for tailors is rising

Demand for professional sewers, dressmakers and tailors is growing in the US. Problem is, many are retiring and there are few to replace them.

Hong Kong economy

Opinion | Hong Kong’s global future depends on diverse talent

United States

US adds 178,000 jobs in March but Middle East war ‘likely not incorporated’

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The Philippines

How soaring fuel prices are pushing Filipino farmers to the brink

Farmer Elmer Ullani spent seven hours transporting his produce to a trading post, but says he has nothing left after paying for fuel.

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Philippine farmer Elmer Ullani spells out “Stop US-Iran War” with his cabbages after having to spend almost all of the money he had earned at the market to pay for the fuel needed to get him there and back. Photo: Facebook / Elmer Ullani
China trade

‘Careful scrutiny’ needed in China’s applications of AI: Jiang Xiaojuan

Stronger oversight needed as unchecked AI risks undermining jobs and data security, government advisers urge at the Boao Forum for Asia.

Hong Kong economy

Editorial | Hong Kong graduates need to adapt to secure a job in the AI era

There is no point in lamenting AI’s rise. The focus must be on flexibility and learning to live with the technology.

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China society

Opinion | Why China’s AI automation push is a risky social experiment

Without reforms to improve wages, housing access and childcare, automation could entrench a low-fertility crisis and destabilise the social contract.

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A robot helps with a task during a media tour to the Beijing Humanoid Robot Pilot Verification Platform, in Beijing on March 20. Photo: EPA
Education in Hong Kong

Opinion | Hong Kong’s education policy must reflect the innovative future it seeks

The city aims to be a leader in the creative and innovation industry, but how much of that vision is translated into its schools?

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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

Critics say the fee rise is designed to keep ‘poor’ foreigners out, as Japan bets on AI and robots to plug its growing staffing shortfall.

People gather at a port in Shizuoka prefecture, Japan, with Mount Fuji in the background. Photo: AFP
Indonesia

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

While a survey shows that 82 per cent of Indonesian workers are happy, it also flags increasing burnout among them.

Indonesians walk on a pedestrian bridge in Jakarta. Photo: EPA-EFE
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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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.

Hong Kong has about six physiotherapists for every 10,000 residents. Photo: Shutterstock
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.

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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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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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An art exhibition in Kathmandu displays slogans used in the Gen Z protest in September last year. Photo: Bibek Bhandari
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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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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Illustration: Craig Stephens
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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