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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.
Protesters in Mumbai celebrate after Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned following nationwide protests as part of the Cockroach Janta Party’s protest movement on July 26. Photo: AP
India

Opinion | China found the word India’s ‘cockroach’ protests missed

China’s crisis crept in over years, slow enough for a society to find a term for the phenomenon and debate it, while India’s arose over a single exam season.

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Hong Kong society

72% of Hong Kong professionals regularly use AI, double global average: survey

Vietnam

Vietnam pays the price at home for sending workers abroad

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Hong Kong politics

5-year plan to create more jobs, help young people with housing: John Lee

City leader says government is paying close attention to youth employment, while Northern Metropolis presents opportunity for bigger homes.

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Chief Executive John Lee (centre) attends the second town hall on his policy address 2026 and Hong Kong’s first five-year plan. Photo: Handout
China jobs

In Focus | Why foreign workers are still climbing mountains of paperwork for a job in China

Beijing’s rigid visa points system and strict sponsorship rules frustrate young expats, but most are still undeterred in their job search.

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United States

US unexpectedly loses jobs in July, in blow to Trump’s economy claims

This reflects potential weakness in the labour market of the world’s largest economy after months of steady growth.

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Japan

Japan proposes tougher income rules for permanent residency

Applicants have to maintain annual household income above the average for Japanese households under the new rules.

Crowds at the Senso Ji temple in Tokyo. Photo: Shutterstock
Hong Kong society

Opinion | How East Asia’s internet cafes became a cheap urban refuge

An informal safety net, these cafes offer gig workers and those between jobs crucial breathing space.

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South Korea

South Korean graduates look to Japan to beat job shortage at home

Last year, 2,257 young South Koreans took jobs in Japan, marking a 47 per cent jump from 2024 and making Japan their top work destination.

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Japan

Filipino housekeepers mop up growing demand across Japan

Japan’s housekeeping services market has been expanding as the number of dual-income households increases.

A Filipino worker washes dishes at her first housekeeping assignment in Musashino, Tokyo, in February. Photo: Kyodo
China jobs

Stronger social security? Gig workers push back on proposed law

With China’s flexible workforce estimated at nearly 300 million, Beijing pledges to strengthen their safety, wages and basic social security.

A food delivery man opens a door with taped glass at a restaurant in Hangzhou, eastern Zhejiang province , as people prepare for the approaching Typhoon Bavi to hit the region on July 11, 2026. Photo: AFP
Banking & finance

Finance firms set to pour more into AI amid ‘data divide’ fears

A majority of surveyed asset managers said they would raise their AI budgets next year, affecting data management and workforce dynamics.

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Technology

Opinion | In an era defined by AI, can work still be measured by the clock?

From Seoul to Taipei, Tokyo to Beijing, Asia is running a 21st century economy on a labour contract designed for the 20th century.

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South Korea

South Korea rethinks Yellow Envelope Act as labour union demands mount

Without clearer boundaries, the revised act could fuel labour disputes and create uncertainty for businesses and the economy, critics warn.

Members of the South Korean Confederation of Trade Unions hold signs reading “basic labour rights” during a rally in Seoul on July 16. Photo: EPA
China society

Opinion | Why China’s low-cost business model resists reform

Even as the model outlives its usefulness, built-in incentives continue to stifle efforts to protect the rights and interests of workers.

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Firefighters work at the scene of a footwear factory fire in Jinjiang, Fujian province, on July 9. Photo: Xinhua News Agency via AP
China jobs

China’s youth jobless rate edges down in June for third consecutive month

The jobless rate for 16- to 24-year-olds fell for the third month, though China’s broader labour market faces headwinds.

China's population

China’s state agencies are hiring retirees as the workforce rapidly ages

Universities, hospitals and government departments are actively recruiting retired former workers to cope with rapid demographic changes.

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US-China relations

US to toughen up visa regulations for Chinese journalists, foreign students

Trump administration claims changes will combat visa fraud and strengthen national security, but legal experts condemn new proposals.

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Since US President Donald Trump returned to office, the federal government has increasingly revoked green cards and international student visas. Photo: Reuters
Japan

Video | Japanese company revs up Gen Z machismo with quirky antics

Business development firm Global Partners starts each workday with shouted mantras and motivational pep talks.

Robotics

Letters | Automation must be designed with the human worker in mind

Readers discuss the importance of human dignity as robots upend industry, and the negative online reactions to a viral video of an expressive schoolchild.

Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong proposes job-related injury compensation for gig delivery workers

Proposals will only cover those in food and goods delivery services, as these two sectors employ most gig workers, bureau says.

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A food delivery rider in Causeway Bay. Photo: Karma Lo
Education in Hong Kong

AI and economy fuel stress for 40% of DSE candidates: Hong Kong youth group poll

Nearly half of students also unaware of universities of applied sciences as group urges government to boost awareness of vocational paths.

Students sit the Diploma of Secondary Education exams in April. This year, 58,576 candidates sat the DSE exams, up by nearly 5 per cent from last year. Photo: Handout
Artificial intelligence

Opinion | Why Chinese youth aren’t booing AI, unlike American graduates

Giving young people a chance to help build the future with AI is more effective than a narrative in which they are its inevitable victims.

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Science

Why China’s technical schools offer both hope and despair for jobless college grads

Young Chinese ‘return to the furnace’ for practical skills but Chinese media reports some students are disappointed by education on offer.

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China jobs

AI skills required for 4 out of 10 graduate jobs in China: recruitment portal

University of Hong Kong professors say ‘messy jobs’ that span multiple tasks more immune to challenges posed by technology.

A university student inquires about employment opportunities at a recruitment fair for science and engineering universities in Harbin, Heilongjiang province, in March. Photo: Getty Images
Hong Kong economy

Employee training hours in Hong Kong hit 14-year high amid AI push: survey

Average training hours per staff member reached 19.4 in 2025, with firms prioritising AI and soft skills.

Leadership development remained the top priority for employers at 50 per cent, while mastering generative AI for learning surged from sixth place in 2025 to second at 49 per cent. Photo: Karma Lo
Artificial intelligence

Letters | Society must act to save youth careers amid the AI cull

Readers discuss the consequences of a shrinking graduate jobs market, the disputes in Japan over Muslim mosques and cemeteries, and hygiene in Hong Kong’s SoHo district.

Hong Kong economy

Opinion | Why Hong Kong firms looking to integrate AI must consider fresh grads

Tech-savvy and keen to work, young people already have the tech fluency Hong Kong firms lack in integrating AI into corporate operations.

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