AGP Executive Report

Skills & Access: SAP has opened its Learning Hub free to eligible final-year students in India, offering practical training across fields including HR, finance and sales. Workforce Data: India plans to update its jobs survey to better capture unpaid work and gig workers. AI & Hiring: More than one in five Japanese firms are considering smaller graduate intakes from fiscal 2029 as AI takes on office tasks; China has issued guidance to promote jobs and limit AI-related displacement. India is also identifying occupations less vulnerable to automation. Investment & Jobs: Odisha’s chemical-sector proposals could generate 20,210 jobs, while Madhya Pradesh’s semiconductor proposals are expected to create more than 10,000. India’s GCCs could add up to 1.4 million jobs by 2031, though October’s private-sector activity picked up as hiring slowed. Layoffs: Volvo Cars plans to cut 2,500 jobs worldwide after a quarterly loss, with falling sales in China adding pressure.

Automotive Cuts: Volvo Cars plans to eliminate 2,500 jobs worldwide after a steep quarterly loss and a sharp fall in China revenue, adding to 3,000 cuts announced last year. AI and Work: China has issued guidance to encourage AI-related job creation while easing displacement risks, as demand for AI skills triples in job ads. India Hiring: Global capability centres could add 1–1.4 million jobs by 2031, but a brighter business activity reading has yet to lift hiring, which remains subdued. Worker Protections: India plans to include platform workers and unpaid household work in its labour survey; in China, flexible workers face gaps in social security coverage as mandatory enrollment expands. Investment and Jobs: Odisha says chemical-sector investment proposals worth about ₹53,893 crore could generate 20,210 jobs.

AI and Jobs: China has issued guidelines to promote AI-related job creation while limiting displacement, with measures including digital-skills training and stronger protections for workers in flexible employment. Japan’s Foreign Workforce: About 36% of organisations preparing to broker placements under a new foreign-worker program have yet to secure enough Japanese-language teachers or candidates, raising doubts about readiness for its April launch. Layoffs: Barclays plans to cut around 5,000 jobs as it expands AI and efficiency efforts; Volvo Cars will shed 2,500 roles after a quarterly loss and steeply weaker sales in China. India Hiring: The country’s global capability centres could add 1–1.4 million jobs by 2031, even as private-sector hiring has slowed despite stronger business activity. Japan Pay: The country’s biggest labour group is seeking a 6% midpoint target for next year’s wage talks.

Japan Pay & Hiring: Factory employment rose moderately in October, though manufacturing growth slowed to a seven-month low. Japan’s largest labour group is seeking a 6% midpoint wage target for 2027 talks. AI Skills: AI appeared in 5.1% of Singapore job ads in August, more than triple the share in January 2024; mentions of agentic AI jumped 460% year on year. Job Cuts: Barclays plans to eliminate 5,000 roles as it expands AI use, with a significant share of affected back-office jobs expected to be in India. Worker Protections: Nearly 70% of China’s estimated 200 million flexible workers lack employee social-security coverage, with many required to pay for coverage themselves. Jobs Outlook: The World Bank estimates 1.2 billion young people in developing countries will reach working age over the next 10 to 15 years, while only 400 million to 420 million jobs are projected.

AI and Job Cuts: Barclays plans to cut 5,000 roles, with a significant share of the reductions expected in India’s back-office operations. The bank cited technology-driven efficiencies, with AI adding to a broader modernisation push. China’s Chip Talent: Semiconductor job postings rose 22.2% in the first nine months, and average annual pay reached 291,900 yuan. But demand favours experienced specialists, leaving many graduates struggling to find entry-level roles. Hiring in India: Hyatt plans to recruit more than 30,000 people over five years as it expands to more than 250 hotels in India by 2030. Japan Pay Talks: The country’s biggest labour group is seeking a 6% midpoint target for 2027 wage increases. Cross-Border Assignments: A new India-UK social security agreement aims to limit duplicate contributions, with a five-year rule relevant to employees moving between the countries.

Workforce Cuts: National Australia Bank plans to shed 2,500 roles by June, with workers saying offshoring and AI are driving the restructure and some must reapply for their jobs. Social Protection: China’s push to enroll more people in pension insurance is drawing backlash as local schemes offer loans to workers who cannot afford contributions. Digital Skills: Fiji is targeting 40,000 digital-economy jobs by 2030, backed by training in AI, networking and cybersecurity. Job Insecurity: China’s youth unemployment rate has eased to 18%, but reports describe jobless people pretending to commute to work, underscoring the gap between official figures and workers’ realities. India’s Jobs Challenge: The World Bank has flagged the urgent need for job creation in South Asia, while Indian companies brace for slower hiring and muted salary increases in 2027. Career Paths: A survey finds 44% of Malaysian talent do not want a traditional corporate ladder, prompting calls for advancement routes that reward expertise without requiring management roles. Fair Work: New Zealand’s court has ruled employers cannot charge migrant workers overseas recruitment fees. Workplace Safety: Schaeffler India’s chief executive has been taken into custody in an investigation into a factory accident that killed two workers.

Career Paths: A Randstad survey found 44% of Malaysian talent reject a conventional career ladder, prompting calls for advancement routes that reward expertise without requiring management roles. Hiring: A North East England trade mission to India brought 128 graduate and apprenticeship openings from Sage: 83 in Newcastle and 45 in Bengaluru. Job-Rich Growth: Former RBI governor Duvvuri Subbarao says India needs more labour-intensive manufacturing and productive service jobs to turn growth into employment and better match young people’s skills. Youth Employment: China’s September youth jobless rate reached 18%, as reports describe unemployed people pretending to commute to work. Workforce Trends: Japan plans to cap foreign workers at 1.23 million while reopening recruitment in three sectors; in South Korea, irregular workers hit a record 38.5% of wage earners. AI and Jobs: IMF data point to a 10% drop in hiring for AI-exposed roles across Asia, even as new skills create career paths.

Japan’s labour gaps: Authorities are turning to former teachers as school vacancies deepen, while plans to shift 20,000 skilled-worker visa slots to caregiving and reopen food-preparation jobs to foreign hires target shortages in other sectors. Trade and jobs: India’s new FTA with New Zealand promises more jobs and higher wages, alongside zero-duty access for Indian exports and a NZ$20 billion investment commitment. Hiring outlook: Indian companies expect slower hiring and muted salary increases in 2027, though festive demand may lift temporary factory recruitment. AI and work: IMF data point to a 10% fall in hiring for AI-exposed roles across Asia; in India, workers are also being enlisted to train robots that could replace their jobs. Factory expansion: A new beverage-can plant in Uttar Pradesh is projected to create more than 200 direct jobs and 1,500 indirect opportunities.

Japan’s Worker Shortages: Japan plans to redirect 20,000 skilled-worker visa slots to caregiving and reopen some food-service roles to foreign workers. India–New Zealand FTA: The deal took effect Tuesday, bringing new visa pathways for Indian professionals and duty-free access for Indian exports; New Zealand has pledged US$20 billion in investment over 15 years. AI and Careers: Hiring in AI-exposed roles across Asia fell 10%, according to IMF data. Separately, a survey found one in six specialists had seen colleagues leave after AI changed their jobs beyond recognition. China’s Job Market: Official figures show employment remains stable, even as some unemployed young people pretend to commute to avoid family pressure. Beijing says its next five-year demand plan will include measures to stabilize jobs and household income. Corporate Cuts: Qualcomm plans global job reductions, while Australia’s NAB is set to cut 2,500 roles in a major overhaul.

China’s Jobs Market: Official data show employment and urban unemployment remained stable through the first three quarters, while a public recruitment portal lists 135,180 vacancies across sectors, open to Chinese and foreign applicants. But some workers are borrowing to keep up with social-insurance payments, drawing criticism. India–New Zealand FTA: The pact took effect Oct. 20, giving Indian goods tariff-free access to New Zealand; India’s commerce minister says a NZ$20 billion investment commitment could support manufacturing and jobs. Hiring & Mobility: Healthcare and pharmaceutical hiring requests in India rose 20%. Meanwhile, 12,700 Indian tech professionals had returned from the US by September amid visa uncertainty and layoffs; employers at home are seeking AI, cloud and cybersecurity expertise. Skills & AI: AI is reshaping labour demand across Asia, sharpening the need for job-ready training. Malaysia’s vocational system faces calls for closer employer involvement, while Japan plans to reopen some meal-service roles to foreign workers from April 2027.

India’s GCC and Pharma Hiring: Infosys and Truist are expanding their Hyderabad capability centre, with more than 1,000 colleagues set to join. Pharma and life-sciences hiring requests rose 20% in April–September, led by demand for mid-career talent in regulatory affairs, analytics, AI and R&D. AI and Skills: Across Asia, AI is reshaping labour demand as the World Bank warns that 1.2 billion young people worldwide face a jobs shortage. Cross-Border Recruitment: Japan plans to begin hiring workers from Bangladesh in April 2027 and reopen recruitment for some meal-service roles. A Hong Kong jobs showcase in London drew thousands seeking opportunities in the city and mainland China. China’s Labour Market: Urban unemployment fell, while robotics firms are offering some fresh graduates salaries approaching US$150,000. Worker Protection: China’s embassy issued fresh warnings about kidnappings and job scams in Thailand, underscoring risks for people seeking work abroad.

Job Scam Warning: China’s embassy in Thailand cautioned citizens about high-paying job offers after entertainers and travellers were lured into trafficking networks. Platform Worker Protections: China’s proposed rules would strengthen pay and rest protections for gig workers, though analysts warn enforcement may be difficult. AI and Jobs: AI is reshaping labour demand across Asia, raising concerns about job creation and the need to match skills training to employers’ needs. Global Jobs Gap: The World Bank warns that 1.2 billion young people will enter the workforce over the next 10 to 15 years, but only about 400 million jobs are projected. India Investment: Haier plans a ₹7,000 crore Andhra Pradesh factory, with 6,000 direct and 15,000 indirect jobs expected by 2032. Workplace Rights: Singapore recorded 387 pregnancy-related wrongful dismissal claims from 2019 to 2025; 27 women who pursued tribunal cases received compensation.

AI and Skills: AI is reshaping labour demand across Asia, raising concerns about whether the region can create enough jobs. In India, young workers are confident using AI, but only about a third have had formal training; employers are increasingly focused on skills and continuous learning. Hiring and Mobility: Canada will award extra Express Entry points from November 3 for qualifying high-wage job offers and work experience, potentially helping skilled Indian applicants gain permanent residency. Jobs and Automation: A proposed Canadian oil pipeline may boost output, but automation means it is unlikely to revive the region’s former hiring boom. New Work: Chinese companies are paying workers to train robots on household chores, with reported earnings of up to $900 a month. Women at Work: EVs and automation could open more Indian auto-factory roles to women, but employers will need to address training and retention; women currently make up just 8.7% of the sector’s workforce.

AI and Jobs: India’s chief economic adviser warned that AI could squeeze entry-level hiring and weaken the talent pipeline, even as Indian firms step up recruitment for specialist technology skills. India’s Talent Market: Attrition has climbed to 18% as demand for niche skills grows; a survey projects 9.1% salary increases in 2026-27. Skills and Opportunity: Universities and industry groups are expanding workforce partnerships, while Bangladesh is aligning skills training with job needs. Jobs at Risk: China’s solar industry shed another 40,000 jobs amid overcapacity, highlighting the workforce costs of a fast-changing clean-energy sector. New Hiring: A planned appliance plant in Chhattisgarh is expected to create 3,500 jobs.

AI and Job Security: In India, 79% of employed respondents said they would give up at least 10% of their salary for a guarantee against AI-related job loss, highlighting growing anxiety as employers adopt the technology. Skills Pipeline: Malaysia and China are expanding vocational training for high-tech industries, while India’s education-to-work gap remains sharply gendered: young women are five times more likely than young men to be outside work, education or training. Global Jobs Gap: World Bank chief Ajay Banga warned of an 800-million-job shortfall, putting skills and job creation at the centre of the institution’s agenda. Pay and Retention: Aon forecasts 9.1% salary increases in India in 2027, even as one report puts corporate attrition at 18% amid demand for niche talent. First Jobs: India’s PM-VBRY scheme offers eligible first-time formal employees up to ₹15,000, with a financial-literacy course required for the second instalment.

Skills and Training: Bangladesh is pushing to align vocational education with employers’ needs as AI, digitalisation and green technology reshape work. Malaysia and China are also promoting talent development for higher-value jobs. AI Hiring: India’s older IITs report stronger demand for AI, data and analytics graduates, even as traditional fresher hiring slows. Workforce Pressures: Pacific communities continue to face high unemployment, with local groups helping young people find opportunities. Across Asia-Pacific, employers are being urged to prepare workers for AI-driven changes. Recruitment and Mobility: UAE hotels are shifting to selective hiring and multi-skilled teams, with digital proficiency increasingly valued. India’s embassy in the UAE warns jobseekers about fake overseas offers and agencies demanding payment.