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TOPIC

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.
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
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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South Korea

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

Hong Kong economy

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

United States

Amazon cuts 16,000 jobs amid AI shift, post-pandemic restructuring

The restructuring and cost-cutting come despite soaring profits and strategic hiring in key areas.

Amazon plans to cut its workforce worldwide to streamline operations and reduce bureaucracy across the company. Photo: Shutterstock
South Korea

‘Poisoned chalice’: Seoul’s ‘metropolitan visa’ for foreign labour faces backlash

Debate grows whether the visa helps rival China’s dominance or is a dangerous fix for wage-driven shortages in the shipbuilding sector.

Hong Kong society

Opinion | Hong Kong must tackle the challenges of a super-aged society head on

With both Hong Kong and mainland China unlikely to be able to reverse the decline in birth rates, investing effectively in human capital is crucial.

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Artificial intelligence

China-founded Shanda’s AI lab boosts Singapore operation, pulling China research

MiroMind asks some staff in Shanghai to relocate and continue their AI research work in Singapore, sources say.

People gather next to the Merlion statue at the Marina Bay Waterfront Promenade in Singapore. Photo: AFP
Diplomacy

Opinion | Why so many states reject bloc rivalry to choose partnership with China

It’s a calculated choice to keep growth, infrastructure momentum and policy space alive in a world that punishes the economically exposed.

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Malaysia

Malaysia’s expat salary rules dubbed ‘ridiculous’, stoking talent drain fears

The pay threshold for expatriate visas will be doubled to boost local hiring, sparking concern over reduced foreign talent and rising costs.

Hong Kong economy

58% more applicants per job in Hong Kong in 2025 amid AI takeover of roles

Jobsdb Hong Kong says competition even keener for frontline roles, but some jobs hit by AI, with technology automating many repetitive processes.

Hong Kong residents at a job fair organised last month by the Labour Department at Lohas Park Community Hall in Tsueng Kwan O. Photo: Elson Li
Malaysia

How a crop of young farmers is reshaping agriculture in Southeast Asia

Young people across Southeast Asia are using city spaces and new technologies to improve on traditional farming methods to grow produce.

Once seen as an unlikely career path for university graduates, farming is quietly being rebranded across Southeast Asia. Photo: Ushar Daniele
Asean

Asian Angle | To win the future, Southeast Asia must rewrite its industrial rule book

Success relies on five key pillars, including deeper regional coordination and targeted industrial upgrading.

India

Gig workers’ strike in India spurs debate on human cost of delivery race

More than 200,000 gig workers recently staged protests across major Indian cities, prompting concerns about the necessity of quick commerce.

Singapore

Singapore steps up migrant worker reforms amid calls for deeper change

The government has rolled out a slew of new initiatives, such as improved safety and living conditions and better healthcare access.

Migrant workers in the back of an open lorry in Singapore on December 6, 2025. Photo: Kyodo
United States

US job growth slows amid AI and tariffs, Fed likely to hold rates steady

Structural shifts from AI and trade policies limit hiring to 50,000 in December, reinforcing bets that the central bank will hold rates steady.

A cyclist rides past a “Now Hiring” sign in San Gabriel, California, in August 2024. Photo: AFP
Technology

Singapore, Beijing land in top 10 of Savills’ Matcha Index of global tech cities

Even with its premium-priced matcha drinks, Singapore ranks among the world’s most ‘liveable’ cities for tech workers.

Japan

Canning old ways: how Japan is rethinking foreign labour

Tawara Canning has managed to maintain its workforce by offering foreigners places to stay and a chance to integrate with the community.

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China jobs

What are China’s hottest jobs as AI reshapes the labour market?

The structural shift in China’s labour market will make digital skills mandatory as new opportunities emerge and traditional work tapers off.

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Artificial intelligence will shape the future of job creation in China as demand for AI product managers surges by 178 per cent and digital skills will be mandatory in the new employment landscape. Photo: Shutterstock
Human rights

Ageing Asia needs domestic helpers, but can it keep them safe?

While the region cries out for care, top source nations the Philippines and Indonesia have tightened controls to curb exploitation and abuse.

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United States

Trump’s US$100,000 H-1B visa fee upheld by judge, as lottery system ends

The US awards 85,000 H-1B visas annually via lottery, with Indian nationals accounting for nearly three-quarters of recipients.

Singapore

Singapore’s young graduates feel the heat in ‘draining’ job hunt

A dearth of entry-level jobs has forced some young Singaporeans to pivot to stopgap roles and entrepreneurship.

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The central business district in Singapore. Official data showed the unemployment rate of residents aged below 30 was 5.5 per cent in September. Photo: Reuters
North Korea

How North Koreans use ‘laptop farms’ in US to land tech jobs abroad

Amazon said it has blocked more than 1,800 North Korean workers from remote IT jobs, citing a rise in applications.

Many North Koreans exploit US “laptop farms” to secure remote tech jobs. Photo: Shutterstock
Japan

Mind your language: Japan considers new fluency bar for permanent residents

While some say Japanese knowledge is a fair demand, others worry it will introduce ‘roadblocks’ at a time when the country needs more workers.

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South Korea

Vietnamese influx surges as South Korea’s foreign population hits record high

The Vietnamese population in South Korea jumped by 15.5 per cent last year, the fastest growing among major ethnic groups.

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China economy

Opinion | Protection of vulnerable workers must be part of China’s AI strategy

Unemployment and underemployment are a double whammy that the Chinese leadership cannot ignore.

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Illustration: Craig Stephens
India

India overhauls controversial rural jobs scheme despite opposition walkout

The scheme increases guaranteed workdays but shifts funding to states, as opposition cries foul over the changes.

Unemployed youths fill application forms to access job openings outside an “employment van” in Hyderabad in 2021. Photo: AFP
China jobs

China’s youth-unemployment rate eases to 16.9% as graduates settle for less

Job market remains plagued by a mismatch between skills and vacancies, pushing more graduates towards blue-collar jobs or gig work.

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South Korea

Vietnamese woman’s death amid raid in South Korea spurs visa policy debate

The 25-year-old, who reportedly hid at a factory’s air-conditioning unit, was just two weeks into her illegal part-time job when she died.

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