https://www.scmp.com/rss/291958/feed 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. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Associated Press Associated Press American employers added a surprisingly strong 178,000 new jobs last month, rebounding from a dismal February, while the unemployment rate dipped to 4.3 per cent. The Labor Department reported on Friday that hiring marked a rebound from the loss of 133,000 jobs in February. The job gains were about three times what economists had forecast. The unemployment rate was down from 4.4 per cent in February. That is partly because the labour force – those working and looking for work – dropped by... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3348998/us-adds-178000-jobs-march-rebounding-february-losses?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3348998/us-adds-178000-jobs-march-rebounding-february-losses?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 14:23:03 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran After a seven-hour drive to a trading post in northern Philippines, 35-year-old farmer Elmer Ullani took home nothing but an empty petrol tank even after selling 10 tonnes of cabbage. Ullani, who hails from the northern town of Tinoc in Ifugao province, said he only managed to sell his produce – yielded over three harvest rounds – at a paltry rate of 8 to 9 pesos (15 US cents) per kilogram, earning him a total of 90,000 pesos (US$1,482). All of his earnings went towards covering his fuel... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3348448/filipino-farmer-pleads-stop-us-iran-war-after-soaring-fuel-prices-wipe-out-earnings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3348448/filipino-farmer-pleads-stop-us-iran-war-after-soaring-fuel-prices-wipe-out-earnings?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 15:00:28 +0000 Ji Siqi Ji Siqi Chinese government advisers are calling for government-set “red lines” in artificial intelligence development and applications, as mounting threats of job displacement and data security challenges spark concerns in the country. Jiang Xiaojuan, former deputy secretary general of the State Council, said at the Boao Forum for Asia annual conference in Hainan province that precaution was needed when using AI simply to reduce labour costs. “Those that do not improve service quality or promote... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347940/job-fears-security-risks-spark-call-chinese-government-red-lines-ai-applications?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347940/job-fears-security-risks-spark-call-chinese-government-red-lines-ai-applications?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 09:00:08 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Artificial intelligence (AI) is developing at a breathtaking pace, disrupting almost every sector and having a significant impact on the job market. The adoption of the technology is not only reducing the number of lower-paid jobs but also hitting graduates. There is a need to adapt and embrace the new reality. Job vacancies plunged to a five-year low last year, falling to less than half the number recorded in 2021, according to the Joint Institution Job Information System, an online platform... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3347551/hong-kong-graduates-need-adapt-secure-job-ai-era?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3347551/hong-kong-graduates-need-adapt-secure-job-ai-era?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 23:15:13 +0000 Emma Zang Emma Zang China is betting artificial intelligence will solve its labour shortage, as policymakers ramp up a nationwide push to deploy AI and robotics across the economy. But it may be worsening a different problem: the erosion of stable jobs for young workers. China’s push has accelerated investment in industrial automation, installing more than half of the world’s robots in 2024 alone and doubling down on AI-enabled production. The strategy is presented as a necessary response to the demographic... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3347386/why-chinas-ai-automation-push-risky-social-experiment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3347386/why-chinas-ai-automation-push-risky-social-experiment?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 12:30:10 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu “What if?” and “but why?” are questions I’ve been bombarded with by young schoolchildren. I’m often stumped, but I’ve learned to avoid giving the “worst” answer possible – “that’s the way it is” – because who’s to say things can’t change. Children’s ability to challenge the status quo, questioning norms and authority, forces us to re-examine our assumptions on why things must be the way they are. Adults are often too impatient to experiment with the alternative. We rush through our to-do lists... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3347350/hong-kongs-education-policy-must-reflect-innovative-future-it-seeks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3347350/hong-kongs-education-policy-must-reflect-innovative-future-it-seeks?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2026 08:30:09 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu China’s urban youth unemployment rate fell in February for the sixth consecutive month, though the marginal improvement provides little reprieve for jobseekers in a challenging post-holiday labour market. The jobless rate for the 16-to-24 age group, excluding students, edged down to 16.1 per cent in February from 16.3 per cent in January, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics on Thursday. The figure has been gradually declining since August, when a record 12.2 million... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3346838/chinas-youth-unemployment-falls-sixth-consecutive-month-february?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3346838/chinas-youth-unemployment-falls-sixth-consecutive-month-february?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 07:57:31 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Settling in Japan as a foreign national is about to become much more expensive after the government passed legislation to sharply increase visa application fees. Critics argue the policy is short-sighted amid a worsening labour shortage, but conservatives have dismissed such concerns, insisting that robots and artificial intelligence will soon replace workers in low-paid, service-sector roles. Detractors also contend the legislation is designed to deter less affluent migrants from developing... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3346825/japan-raise-residency-fees-2900-despite-deepening-labour-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3346825/japan-raise-residency-fees-2900-despite-deepening-labour-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 03:47:17 +0000 Aisyah Llewellyn Aisyah Llewellyn A survey showing workers in Indonesia as the happiest in Asia-Pacific has prompted discussions about the factors underpinning their positive attitudes relative to their regional peers. A workplace report published this month by employment marketplace Jobstreet by SEEK found 82 per cent of Indonesian respondents said they felt somewhat or extremely happy at work, the highest level among eight regional markets surveyed. The headline figure inevitably begs the question: does the result reflect... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3346545/top-world-why-indonesian-workers-are-happiest-asia-pacific?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3346545/top-world-why-indonesian-workers-are-happiest-asia-pacific?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Mar 2026 08:00:12 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran For many of those rescued from Southeast Asia’s scam compounds, escape is not the end of the ordeal. They leave behind the locked gates, surveillance and violence, but often return home carrying injuries, trauma and the stigma of having been forced to scam others. Just as difficult is what comes next: trying to explain the experience to the people waiting for them. “Some of them are not able to tell their family members or their community what has happened,” said human rights advocate Andrey... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3346532/southeast-asias-scam-compound-survivors-suffer-stigma-and-silence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3346532/southeast-asias-scam-compound-survivors-suffer-stigma-and-silence?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Mar 2026 00:00:08 +0000 Reuters Reuters Meta is planning sweeping lay-offs that could affect 20 per cent or more of the company, three sources familiar with the matter said, as it seeks to offset costly artificial intelligence infrastructure bets and prepare for greater efficiency brought about by AI-assisted workers. No date has been set for the cuts and the magnitude has not been finalised, the people said. Top executives have recently signalled the plans to other senior leaders at Meta and told them to begin planning how to pare... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3346573/16000-meta-jobs-stake-zuckerberg-focuses-ai?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3346573/16000-meta-jobs-stake-zuckerberg-focuses-ai?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Mar 2026 01:50:22 +0000 Ambrose Li,William Yiu Ambrose Li,William Yiu Hong Kong’s physiotherapy sector has urged the government to expand employment opportunities for locally trained professionals, warning that severe funding cuts will lead to a glut of practitioners, with the surplus projected to exceed 2,000 by 2040. In a letter to the authorities, the Hong Kong Physiotherapy Association pointed to hiring freezes and job losses at NGOs as a result of budget cuts, even as the government continued to subsidise the training of physiotherapists. “These developments... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3346549/funding-cuts-trigger-calls-help-jobs-hong-kongs-physiotherapists?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3346549/funding-cuts-trigger-calls-help-jobs-hong-kongs-physiotherapists?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 13:20:07 +0000 Theodora Yu Theodora Yu Hong Kong’s fresh graduates are facing increasingly challenging career prospects, with 69 per cent of job sectors recording their fewest vacancies in six years, a trend experts attribute to the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and a sluggish economy. Figures from the Joint Institution Job Information System, a centralised online job information platform shared by the city’s eight publicly funded universities, also showed that the number of job vacancies fell to a five-year low of 30,798 last... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3346406/hong-kong-job-openings-hit-6-year-low-69-sectors-amid-ais-ascent?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3346406/hong-kong-job-openings-hit-6-year-low-69-sectors-amid-ais-ascent?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 02:00:15 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu Some Chinese lawmakers and advisers are pushing to secure higher pensions for elderly farmers, underscoring the persistent income disparity between the country’s urban and rural residents. The latest government work report, approved on Thursday, confirmed a 20-yuan (US$2.91) monthly increase to basic pension payments for a third consecutive year, bringing the national minimum to 163 yuan. However, some deputies from China’s top legislature contend that this level is inadequate. “A pension of... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3346368/chinas-rural-pensions-focus-lawmakers-fight-farmers-fair-share-amid-income-gap?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3346368/chinas-rural-pensions-focus-lawmakers-fight-farmers-fair-share-amid-income-gap?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 00:00:11 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen Proposals by Hong Kong’s pension regulator to increase Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) contributions for higher-paid workers by up to 33 per cent could worsen business challenges and hurt the jobs market, a lawmaker and human resources expert have warned. A labour representative, however, urged the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority (MPFA) to pursue even bolder increases to meet statutory requirements and reflect rising salaries. The MPFA had announced that it was reviewing the maximum... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3346008/proposed-33-rise-mpf-payments-may-deepen-business-pressures-hit-jobs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3346008/proposed-33-rise-mpf-payments-may-deepen-business-pressures-hit-jobs?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 12:39:13 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse For years India’s economy was driven by its vast services sector that saw millions of people working away in low-cost back offices providing consultancy for predominantly Western companies. But over the past decade they have given way to centres that allow firms to tap top-tier talent and technology, where white-collar staff perform tasks ranging from IT and data analytics to innovation and design. Today, these centres are the shiniest parts of India’s red-hot economy but not everyone has been... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3345855/boom-times-indias-economy-opportunities-remain-uneven?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3345855/boom-times-indias-economy-opportunities-remain-uneven?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 05:15:07 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The US unexpectedly lost jobs in February while unemployment edged up, government data showed Friday, piling pressure on President Donald Trump’s economic agenda as key midterm elections approach. The world’s biggest economy shed 92,000 jobs last month, in a sharp reversal from the job growth of 126,000 in January, the Labour Department said. The unemployment rate, meanwhile, crept up to 4.4 per cent from 4.3 per cent. White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett insisted Friday that the US... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3345782/us-sheds-92000-jobs-warning-sign-trumps-economy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3345782/us-sheds-92000-jobs-warning-sign-trumps-economy?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 21:09:39 +0000 Luna Sun Luna Sun Beijing should increase investment in early childhood education and lifelong learning as AI reshapes the world’s largest labour market, a prominent Chinese economist has said. The real policy test for China is whether it can shift decisively from investing in capital to investing in people, while policy and regulation must steer artificial intelligence (AI) towards empowering rather than replacing workers, according to Cai Fang, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences focusing... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3345288/china-should-education-spending-help-population-adapt-ai-era-economist?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3345288/china-should-education-spending-help-population-adapt-ai-era-economist?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 23:00:07 +0000 Bibek Bhandari Bibek Bhandari Sangharsh Bhusal returned to the spot outside Nepal’s parliament building where police shot him last year. The 28-year-old still bears scars on his head, hand and abdomen from the violence that engulfed Kathmandu during Nepal’s Gen Z uprising, when thousands took to the streets demanding good governance and an end to corruption. It was here, in front of the seat of power, where many young protesters believed their voices should have been heard when gunfire rang out. At least 77 people –... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345168/young-nepalis-hope-post-uprising-election-candidates-shun-same-old-patterns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345168/young-nepalis-hope-post-uprising-election-candidates-shun-same-old-patterns?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 00:00:12 +0000 Aidan Jones Aidan Jones With memories still raw from the deaths of scores of its nationals during the Gaza war, Thailand has issued an alert to its estimated 110,000 citizens working across the Middle East as the US-Israeli conflict with Iran rages across the region. Around 60,000 Thais are working in Israel’s fields, factories and shops, drawn by “danger money” wages higher than those available at home or in competing markets. Thai authorities have said an additional 250 Thais are believed to still be in Iran, while... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3345108/thailands-workers-israel-hunker-down-iran-strikes-targets-across-gulf?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3345108/thailands-workers-israel-hunker-down-iran-strikes-targets-across-gulf?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 07:16:03 +0000 David Dodwell David Dodwell A week ago, I had never heard of Matt Shumer. Today, I and 80 million others have viewed his “Something Big is Happening” essay warning about the all-conquering power of the AI revolution, counselling us to maximise our use of artificial intelligence immediately and to put our finances in order. The message? A technology as flexible and powerful as AI will leave many people’s careers permanently devastated. For the truly paranoid, Citrini Research’s 2028 Global Intelligence Crisis report this... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3344778/ai-backlash-growing-how-much-just-hype?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3344778/ai-backlash-growing-how-much-just-hype?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Feb 2026 08:30:08 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall A proposed scheme in Japan offering cash rewards for tip-offs about illegal foreign workers has won support from residents frustrated by what they see as weak enforcement of immigration rules, but migrant advocates warn the policy could deepen distrust and push vulnerable people further into the shadows. The “reporting reward” proposal, announced by Ibaraki Governor Kazuhiko Oigawa earlier this month, would pay “several tens of thousands of yen” for information leading to the detention of an... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3344640/japan-plan-give-cash-rewards-reporting-illegal-migrant-workers-divides-opinion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3344640/japan-plan-give-cash-rewards-reporting-illegal-migrant-workers-divides-opinion?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Feb 2026 02:16:55 +0000 Sebastian Contin Trillo-Figueroa Sebastian Contin Trillo-Figueroa German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who heads to Beijing this week, had warned last year in relation to China that economic dependencies make Germany “susceptible to blackmail”. As chancellor, he confronts an export model under strain, a deteriorating transatlantic environment and the fiscal reality that moral posturing does not sustain an industrial economy. Merz has never been shy about stating where he stands. As chairman of the non-profit Atlantik-Brucke from 2009 to 2019, he boosted the view... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3344239/germanys-outreach-china-signals-reckoning-rather-shift?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3344239/germanys-outreach-china-signals-reckoning-rather-shift?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Feb 2026 13:07:33 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan’s reputation as a nation where employees put in brutally long hours may have to be reassessed, according to recent official statistics showing that Japanese workers now clock fewer hours on average than Americans, Canadians and Italians. At first glance, the numbers suggest that government efforts to curb karoshi, or death by overwork, have paid off. But analysts and employees caution that the figures may not be directly comparable with those from other nations. According to figures... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3344130/no-more-overworked-japan-new-figures-show-employees-clock-fewer-hours?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3344130/no-more-overworked-japan-new-figures-show-employees-clock-fewer-hours?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Feb 2026 00:00:11 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu When the results of China’s gruelling National Higher Education Entrance Examination – or gaokao – were released last summer, Lin Gangming was surprised to learn that he had scored high enough to attend some of the country’s top universities. But instead of chasing prestige, the student from Yangjiang, a small coastal city in Guangdong province, chose a different path: Shenzhen Polytechnic University – a public undergraduate vocational college in the province. Stories like Lin’s, covered by the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3344145/chinas-vocational-degrees-rising-students-seek-skills-over-prestigious-universities?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3344145/chinas-vocational-degrees-rising-students-seek-skills-over-prestigious-universities?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Feb 2026 02:00:09 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng Major Chinese technology companies, including ByteDance and Baidu, are aggressively expanding their US-based research and development teams, targeting high-level artificial intelligence and semiconductor recruits in key American tech hubs. The overseas hiring spree underscores these “big tech” firms’ growing ambitions to build up their skilled workforce in AI systems development and semiconductor design amid increased competition in their home market. Social media giant ByteDance, the parent... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3344212/chinas-tech-giants-pursue-ai-semiconductor-talent-us-competition-intensifies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3344212/chinas-tech-giants-pursue-ai-semiconductor-talent-us-competition-intensifies?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Feb 2026 13:00:09 +0000 David Dodwell David Dodwell I would like to explore some rather interesting data buried deep in the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Economic and Social Trends 2026 report: an estimated 15.3 per cent of jobs worldwide depended on foreign demand in 2024. In other words, they depend on international trade. The ILO report, based on data from 80 economies that account for 85 per cent of global employment, says this amounts to 465 million jobs. Of these, 278 million are in Asia and the Pacific and 96 million are in... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3344016/despite-trumps-trade-wars-globalisation-eurasias-win-or-lose?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3344016/despite-trumps-trade-wars-globalisation-eurasias-win-or-lose?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Feb 2026 08:30:08 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Living on the minimum wage can be challenging in a city known for its notoriously high cost of living. Even though the statutory wage floor is meant to be a safety net for the lowest paid workers, many of them still face financial hardship, so much so that they may have to scale back on food and other expenses or work multiple jobs to survive. Their plight is often not appreciated by people who are well above the breadline. Whether a 2.38 per cent pay rise makes a decent offer in the current... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3343980/minimum-wage-rises-must-not-leave-behind-hong-kongs-most-vulnerable?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3343980/minimum-wage-rises-must-not-leave-behind-hong-kongs-most-vulnerable?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Feb 2026 22:45:08 +0000 Bernard Chan Bernard Chan I travelled to Zurich, Switzerland, last month to attend the Asia Leaders Series, a forum designed to foster candid exchange between Europe and Asia, offering policymakers, economists and business leaders a trusted setting to engage seriously with global challenges. The event took place on the eve of the World Economic Forum meeting. I was asked to moderate a session on a topic that was hardly novel: US-China rivalry. I approached the event with modest expectations. Strategic competition between... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3343913/us-and-china-can-again-find-common-ground-ais-risks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3343913/us-and-china-can-again-find-common-ground-ais-risks?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Feb 2026 12:30:08 +0000 Eric Stryson Eric Stryson Artificial intelligence (AI) is eroding the very capabilities young professionals need to remain valuable in a machine-automated era. That is the real challenge facing graduates entering the workforce. It is not simply a case of AI destroying jobs – though it is – but that it is undermining our cognitive and interpersonal skills. The numbers are starting to confirm what we suspected. Hong Kong graduates in 2025 found 55 per cent fewer job opportunities than the year before. Over 12 per cent of... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3343333/how-recent-graduates-entering-job-market-can-outperform-ai?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3343333/how-recent-graduates-entering-job-market-can-outperform-ai?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Feb 2026 01:30:08 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words I refer to the op-ed, “As great powers bet on AI, what of the workforce holding it together?” (February 2). The piece on “ghost workers” addresses a real gap: the human labour that trains AI systems. But there is another workforce the article does not cover – those who must... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3343266/ai-taking-invisible-toll-humans-working-alongside-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3343266/ai-taking-invisible-toll-humans-working-alongside-it?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Feb 2026 03:30:13 +0000 Rachel Chan Rachel Chan Hong Kong stands at a definitive demographic crossroads. With one-third of our population projected to be over 65 by the 2040s, the city can either treat ageing as a fiscal burden or it can transform longevity into a sustainable growth engine. Drawing inspiration from Andrew Scott and Lynda Gratton’s work on the 100-Year Life project, Hong Kong should boldly embrace longevity as a new development frontier. By leveraging our unique strengths in finance, world-class regulatory frameworks and... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3343200/hong-kong-should-see-silver-economy-golden-opportunity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3343200/hong-kong-should-see-silver-economy-golden-opportunity?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Feb 2026 21:30:10 +0000 Jean Iau,Kolette Lim Jean Iau,Kolette Lim Singapore expects a surplus of S$15.1 billion (US$12 billion) or 1.9 per cent of gross domestic product for the 2025 financial year, more than double an initial projection of S$6.8 billion, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has said as he unveiled an aggressive bid to pursue AI ambitions in his annual budget speech. The higher revenues came from corporate income tax and asset-related revenue collections, including stamp duty and vehicle quota premiums, Wong said on Thursday. For the 2026 financial... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3343310/singapore-budget-lawrence-wong-unveils-ai-ambitions-uncertain-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3343310/singapore-budget-lawrence-wong-unveils-ai-ambitions-uncertain-world?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Feb 2026 08:30:30 +0000 Nixie Lam Nixie Lam Hong Kong’s pressing demographic challenges demand tailored, well-considered civil service policies. However, the proposal put forward in recent Legislative Council debates on population policy to raise the retirement age for all civil servants to 65 offers no viable solution to these issues. This one-size-fits-all approach overlooks the civil service’s flexible retirement frameworks and works against the government’s goals of streamlining and modernising the public sector. It risks undermining... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3342914/one-size-fits-all-retirement-age-civil-servants-wont-suit-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3342914/one-size-fits-all-retirement-age-civil-servants-wont-suit-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Feb 2026 01:30:08 +0000 Eunice Xu,Iris Deng Eunice Xu,Iris Deng The majority of Hong Kong’s white-collar workers are embracing artificial intelligence in their daily work, but executives’ reluctance to use the technology risks slowing enterprise-wide adoption, according to a survey by McKinsey & Company. Nearly 70 per cent of white-collar workers in Hong Kong use AI, with more than 90 per cent engaging with the tools at least once a day, according to findings from the consulting firm’s local survey released on Wednesday. Most workers use AI for specific... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3343205/hong-kong-executives-trail-employees-ai-adoption-mckinsey?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3343205/hong-kong-executives-trail-employees-ai-adoption-mckinsey?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Feb 2026 13:00:09 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji As Asia grapples with falling birth rates, analysts warn that the rise of artificial intelligence may be making the problem worse, putting pressure on workers to upgrade their skills and posing a distraction to families after office hours. Fertility rates across the region have fallen to some of the lowest levels in the world, well below the generally accepted replacement rate of 2.1 children per woman needed to keep a population stable over time. This decline largely stems from financial... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3343179/asia-faces-falling-birth-rates-ais-rise-distracts-couples-building-families?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3343179/asia-faces-falling-birth-rates-ais-rise-distracts-couples-building-families?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Feb 2026 08:42:57 +0000 Emily Hung Emily Hung A Hong Kong social enterprise known for serving underprivileged residents has seen its comeback derailed by a technical error from housing authorities in the tendering process for shop space. The owner of Agape Garden, a restaurant that was forced to close in July last year due to an abrupt government decision to reclaim the space, submitted a tender for a shop in Shek Kip Mei Estate last November. However, the Housing Authority cancelled the tender exercise a month later after identifying an... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3343109/hong-kong-social-enterprise-needy-unable-set-new-shop-after-government-error?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3343109/hong-kong-social-enterprise-needy-unable-set-new-shop-after-government-error?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Feb 2026 00:30:08 +0000 Edith Lin Edith Lin Hong Kong’s lowest-paid workers are set to receive a pay rise of HK$1 per hour, from the current HK$42.10 (US$5.40) to HK$43.10, as recommended by the government’s top decision-making body, with the new rate expected to come into force as early as May. The government announced on Tuesday that the Executive Council had adopted the proposal from the Minimum Wage Commission (MWC), which had suggested the 2.38 per cent increase. The amendment will be tabled in the legislature on February 25. Subject... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3343063/hong-kongs-minimum-wage-set-rise-hk1-hour-hk4310?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3343063/hong-kongs-minimum-wage-set-rise-hk1-hour-hk4310?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 09:24:43 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times South Korea is tightening Korean-language screening for incoming migrant workers under its Employment Permit System, placing greater emphasis on speaking skills amid concerns that language barriers can contribute to worksite accidents and hinder communication at factories, farms and construction sites that increasingly rely on foreign labour. The Human Resources Development Service of Korea, a public agency under the Ministry of Employment and Labour, announced on Monday that it would revise the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3342947/seoul-tightens-migrant-language-screening-over-safety-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3342947/seoul-tightens-migrant-language-screening-over-safety-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Feb 2026 11:26:25 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words I refer to “55% plunge in new hires as Hong Kong graduates face gloomiest job outlook in 5 years” (February 2). This plunge in graduate hires represents a structural transformation driven by artificial intelligence. As a university educator, I see this as an urgent wake-up... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3342445/tax-companies-deploy-ai-save-hong-kong-graduates?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3342445/tax-companies-deploy-ai-save-hong-kong-graduates?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Feb 2026 03:30:10 +0000 William Yiu William Yiu University graduates in Hong Kong are facing the gloomiest employment market since 2021, with the number of available jobs plunging by 55 per cent in 2025 and the average salary of new hires increasing by only 0.5 per cent year on year. A veteran human resources consultant attributed the sharp fall in entry-level jobs, which require significant investment and mentorship, to the rise of artificial intelligence and the uncertain economic outlook. According to data from the Joint Institution Job... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3341998/55-plunge-new-hires-hong-kong-graduates-face-gloomiest-job-outlook-5-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3341998/55-plunge-new-hires-hong-kong-graduates-face-gloomiest-job-outlook-5-years?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Feb 2026 00:30:12 +0000 Mandy Zuo Mandy Zuo After testing Tesla’s driver assistance system FSD earlier this month, Chinese economist Ren Zeping exclaimed that autonomous driving’s large-scale real-world implementation was progressing much faster than he thought. Though driverless taxis are so far only being tested in designated areas in Chinese cities, he prophesied that autonomous driving would soon become widespread. “Autonomous driving will erupt in the next couple of years. Large models enable a unified driving paradigm, letting tens... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3341532/ai-driving-seat-china-moves-rein-job-displacement-risks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3341532/ai-driving-seat-china-moves-rein-job-displacement-risks?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Jan 2026 11:00:11 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times At the training centre for KD Transport Group, South Korea’s largest bus operator, in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, boyish-looking men stood out among about 100 drivers gathered for safety training on January 20. According to the company, 47 of the 460 drivers at its Pangyo branch are in their 20s or 30s, accounting for roughly 10 per cent of the workforce. “Most of them joined within the last year or two,” a company official said. “It is unusual to see such a sharp increase in young... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3341707/why-south-koreas-gen-z-steer-towards-bus-driving-job-market-shifts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3341707/why-south-koreas-gen-z-steer-towards-bus-driving-job-market-shifts?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Jan 2026 10:14:41 +0000 Lam Ka-sing Lam Ka-sing Hong Kong’s workforce lags behind regional peers in the frequent use of artificial intelligence, a sluggish adoption rate that experts say are limiting pay rewards and job security even as companies prepare to trim entry-level roles. A 2025 survey conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) released on Thursday found that half of Hong Kong respondents were infrequent users of generative AI at work in the past 12 months, compared with 34 per cent for the Asia-Pacific region. The data showed only 22... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3341683/hong-kong-workers-lag-regional-peers-ai-use-lose-out-pay-security-pwc-study?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3341683/hong-kong-workers-lag-regional-peers-ai-use-lose-out-pay-security-pwc-study?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Jan 2026 09:31:27 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Amazon is slashing about 16,000 corporate jobs in the second round of mass lay-offs for the e-commerce company in three months. The tech giant has said it plans to use generative artificial intelligence to replace corporate workers. It has also been reducing a workforce that increased during the pandemic. Beth Galetti, a senior vice-president at Amazon, said in a blog post on Wednesday that the company has been “reducing layers, increasing ownership, and removing bureaucracy”. The company did... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3341581/amazon-cuts-16000-jobs-amid-ai-shift-post-pandemic-restructuring?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3341581/amazon-cuts-16000-jobs-amid-ai-shift-post-pandemic-restructuring?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Jan 2026 13:24:47 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has sparked intense debate with his comments on the “metropolitan visa” policy, aimed at supplying foreign labour to the country’s industrial regions. The controversy escalated after President Lee openly criticised the shipbuilding industry’s reliance on low-wage foreign workers during a visit to Ulsan, a hub for the nation’s maritime sector. His remarks have divided stakeholders. Local governments and businesses view the visa as a desperate measure to solve... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3341546/south-koreas-metropolitan-visa-shipbuilding-worth-cost-foreign-labour?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3341546/south-koreas-metropolitan-visa-shipbuilding-worth-cost-foreign-labour?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Jan 2026 09:11:57 +0000 Paul Yip Paul Yip Mainland China’s and Hong Kong’s birth rates fell to record lows last year, despite extensive government incentives to encourage larger families. In Hong Kong, registered births fell 14 per cent to a historic low of 31,714 in 2025. Notably, the increase in births in 2024 may have been due to the auspicious Year of the Dragon. It is believed that babies born in the dragon year will grow up to be smart and successful. This is likely to have affected the timing of births as seen in Hong Kong during... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3341016/hong-kong-must-tackle-challenges-super-aged-society-head?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3341016/hong-kong-must-tackle-challenges-super-aged-society-head?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 25 Jan 2026 01:30:08 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang Frontier research lab MiroMind, a subsidiary of the China-founded multinational firm Shanda Group, has asked some of its staff in Shanghai to relocate to Singapore, according to people with knowledge of the matter, raising comparisons to artificial intelligence start-up Manus’ pull-out from China last year. Those actions came amid Sunday’s reorganisation announcement by Shanda and Singapore-based MiroMind, which said its research on artificial general intelligence (AGI) and fundamental... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3340721/china-founded-shandas-ai-lab-boosts-singapore-operation-pulling-research-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3340721/china-founded-shandas-ai-lab-boosts-singapore-operation-pulling-research-china?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Jan 2026 13:30:09 +0000 Göktuğ Çalışkan Göktuğ Çalışkan This month, a telling scene unfolded in Addis Ababa. The African Union and China held their ninth strategic dialogue in the Ethiopian capital and launched the 2026 China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges, framing the agenda around modernisation, connectivity and industrialisation rather than bloc politics. The moment captures what many smaller states are doing in today’s fractured world: choosing workable partnership over performative rivalry. The loudest conversations in global politics... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3340606/many-states-partnership-china-makes-more-sense-rivalry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3340606/many-states-partnership-china-makes-more-sense-rivalry?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Jan 2026 08:30:08 +0000 Ushar Daniele Ushar Daniele An effort to prod Malaysian employers into hiring more locals for white-collar jobs by doubling the minimum salary for foreign staff has caught expatriates cold and stirred anxiety among some firms over a reduced labour talent pool. From June, the salary threshold for expatriate Employment Pass (EP) holders will be substantially raised as the Ministry of Home Affairs tries to reduce reliance on foreign labour and open pathways to work for its own citizens who are plagued by low wages and... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3340625/malaysias-new-expat-salary-rules-dubbed-ridiculous-stoking-fears-talent-drain?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3340625/malaysias-new-expat-salary-rules-dubbed-ridiculous-stoking-fears-talent-drain?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Jan 2026 02:43:14 +0000