Hong Kong endures as an East-meets-West melting pot, but the mix is increasingly more Asian - specifically, mainland Chinese - according to a recent ManpowerGroup survey.
Addressing the issue of labour migration in an increasingly borderless world, the survey quizzed some 25,000 employers in 39 markets.
Concerning Hong Kong, a key finding that emerged was the strong dominance of mainland-sourced talent among expatriate hires.
Candidates from across the border now represent 57 per cent of hires in the manufacturing sector and 35 per cent in the finance, insurance and real estate industries. Overall, they now account for 33 per cent of non-resident recruitment.
The report also showed that, despite the bearish market sentiment, there remains a notably high demand for senior talent, with several industries reporting significant shortages of suitable candidates.
'The candidate profile that companies are looking for tends to be one with Asia experience, such as from [China], with a skill set that is relevant to a very specific area,' says Ian Strutton, director of ManpowerGroup's Experis Hong Kong team.