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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.
Workers rebuild a home in Altadena, California, on Friday. The US construction sector lost 11,000 jobs 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

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Nepal

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

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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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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.

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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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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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Major Chinese technology companies are ramping up recruitment of artificial intelligence and semiconductor talent in key US tech hubs. Photo: Shutterstock
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.

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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Commuters walk through North Point MTR station on December 16, 2025. Photo: Sun Yeung
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.

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.

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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.

Civil servants leave the government’s headquarters in Admiralty in June 2024. Photo: Edmond So
Artificial intelligence

Hong Kong executives trail employees in AI adoption: McKinsey

Just 14 per cent of Hong Kong executives use AI frequently, as companies face strategy, data and training barriers to wider adoption.

Artificial intelligence

Dopamine over babies: Asia’s births crisis worsens in the age of AI

AI is putting pressure on Asian workers to upgrade their skills, while the technology also provides ‘cheap fun’ diversions.

Hong Kong society

Hong Kong enterprise for needy unable to set up new shop after government error

Tender exercise cancelled after erroneous power supply details sent to bidders by Housing Authority, leaving Agape Garden in limbo.

Agape Garden’s old premises have been left vacant since the restaurant closed down last July. Photo: Emily Hung
Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong’s minimum wage set to rise by HK$1 per hour to HK$43.10

Exco backs Minimum Wage Commission’s suggested 2.38 per cent increase.

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The statutory minimum wage is currently HK$42.10 per hour. Photo: Jelly Tse
South Korea

Seoul tightens migrant language screening over safety concerns

A rise in worksite accidents involving poor comprehension of safety instructions is driving the shift as South Korea increasingly relies on foreign labour.

Hong Kong economy

Letters | Tax companies that deploy AI, save Hong Kong graduates

Readers discuss the urgency of maintaining entry-level jobs, treating agentic AI like it is the Monkey King, and public transport safety.

Hong Kong economy

Exclusive | 55% plunge in new hires as Hong Kong graduates face gloomiest outlook in 5 years

Average monthly salary of new hires has risen only marginally by 0.5 per cent year on year to HK$20,961 in 2025, according to online job portal.

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Hong Kong graduates are facing the gloomiest job market in the city since 2021. Photo: Sun Yeung
China jobs

With AI in the driving seat, China moves to rein in job displacement risks

China’s central government unveils plans for policy to reduce industrial labour pains caused by widespread use of artificial intelligence.

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Employees work on a Neolix X3 vehicle production line at a factory of Chinese autonomous delivery vehicle maker Neolix in Yancheng, in eastern China’s Jiangsu province. Photo: AFP
South Korea

Why South Korea’s Gen Z steer towards bus driving as job market shifts

Bus driver licenses for people in their 20s and 30s rose 43 per cent in three years, driven by better pay, job security, and changing attitudes.

Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong workers lag regional peers in AI use, lose out on pay, security: PwC

PricewaterhouseCoopers survey finds half of Hong Kong workers use gen AI infrequently at work compared with 34 per cent for Asia-Pacific region.

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