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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.
People cross a road near Tokyo station in Japan. Photo: AFP
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

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Artificial intelligence

China’s tech giants pursue AI, semiconductor talent in US amid fierce rivalry

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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’.

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.

People relax on beach chairs along the boardwalk during sunset at Marina Bay in Singapore on February 9. Photo: AFP
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.

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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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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.

The survey showed that only 19 per cent of local respondents attributed a salary increase to AI in the last 12 months, far below Asia-Pacific’s 46 per cent. Photo: Eugene Lee
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.

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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African Union Commission chairman Mahmoud Ali Youssouf welcomes Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on January 8. Photo: Handout from African Union via EPA
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.

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